Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-16

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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter with regards to the part-time voluntary work opening at the museum.

Today, as the competition is increasing, employers are looking for candidate whose resume differ from other applicants. I believe this will make my resume look strong and different from other candidates. Additionally, the museum is just 5 mins walk from my home while will be very convenient for me to commute.

I have previous experience of working for a museum during my college days and hence i am already aware of the nature of work and duties I am supposed to perform. Additionally, I am hard working, dedicated towards my work and also customer oriented which I think will be an add on to my previous experience and will be advantageous for the museum .

Thank you for your time and consideration .Hoping for a positive response.

Thanks & Regards,

Reshma

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the motivation for volunteering, relevant skills, and availability. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the development of ideas. The explanation for wanting to volunteer is somewhat self-centered (focusing on the resume) rather than showing a genuine interest in the museum's mission. Additionally, the letter fails to provide specific details regarding availability, merely mentioning it in the prompt requirements but not actually stating when the writer is free to work. To improve, ensure all parts of the prompt are fully developed and meet the minimum word count.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, and the progression of ideas is generally clear. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'hence' helps to link sentences. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, and the transition between the motivation and the skills section could be smoother. The letter follows a standard formal structure, though the opening salutation 'Dear Sir' is slightly inconsistent with the prompt's instruction to begin with 'Dear Sir or Madam'. Overall, the structure is functional and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and sophistication. Phrases like 'make my resume look strong' and 'nature of work' are functional but basic. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'candidate whose resume differ' (should be 'candidates whose resumes differ'). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but the student relies on common, repetitive phrasing. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to museum work or professional volunteering.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'candidate whose resume differ' (subject-verb agreement), '5 mins walk' (should be '5-minute walk'), and 'while will be' (incorrect relative clause usage). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing around periods and commas. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct sentence construction would greatly improve the accuracy of the writing.

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

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