Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-08

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A museum near your home is looking for people to do part-time voluntary/unpaid work. You would like to do some voluntary/unpaid work at the museum. Write a letter to the museum director to apply for the voluntary/unpaid work. In your letter

• explain why you want to do voluntary/unpaid work at the museum
• describe some skills and qualities you have that would be useful
• give details of when you would be available for work

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to inform you that I am keenly interested in doing voluntary work at the museum.

To begin with, my summer break starts next week; therefore, I will have plenty of free time. I am a student of art and culture; thus, working at the museum will not only help me utilize my extra time but also benefit my studies. Moreover, being an art student, I have exceptional knowledge of all kinds of artwork present in the museum. I am able to explain the stories behind these works. I can also do cleaning of the floor and dusting of models.

Moving forward, I am doing a job from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m., so I am unable to work at that time, while I am fully available on weekends. My home is near the museum, which makes it possible for me to come at any time.

I hope you will consider me as a suitable candidate for this work.

Thank you.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state your motivation for volunteering, describe your relevant background in art and culture, and specify your availability. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a museum director. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, while you mention being able to explain the stories behind artwork, expanding on how you would interact with visitors or handle specific tasks would have made the response more persuasive. Overall, the task is fully addressed, but the depth of the content could be improved to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'Moving forward' to transition between ideas. While these markers are functional, they are somewhat mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of information is easy to follow. To improve, you could vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between your skills and your availability feels more natural rather than just listing points.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'keenly interested', 'utilize', and 'suitable candidate'. The language is generally accurate and appropriate for the context. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks sophistication. For example, 'do a job' and 'do cleaning' are quite basic. Incorporating more precise collocations or subject-specific terminology related to museum work would enhance your score. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of 'therefore' and 'not only... but also'. Most of your sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is generally correct. There are a few minor issues, such as 'I am doing a job' which could be more naturally phrased as 'I am currently employed'. While you show good control, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Increasing the variety of your sentence patterns would help demonstrate a higher level of grammatical flexibility.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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