Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-07-28

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A friend of yours is thinking about applying for the same course that you did at university. He/She has asked for your advice about studying this subject. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter

• give details of the course you took at the university
• explain why you recommend the university
• give some advice about how to apply

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear .................. ,

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Dear Charity,

I am writing this letter to you with regards to the advice you asked me about the university and course you want to study.

To begin with, I studied optometry at Imo state university, Owerri. Having this program is interesting because it awards you with a Doctor of Optometry (OD), it is a six-year course and the lowest past mark for the courses is 50 points.

Imo state university is very excellent in offering this degree because they have all the necessary equipment you need for your clinical training. Their lecturers are also world class scholars, and the school have a lot of scholarship opportunities. I know you are very smart and that will benefit you more.

Firstly, you have to pass you west African examination, that is an important starting point. Secondly, you will need to ace your JAMB exam which is particularly needed for admission into the university. Finally, you can visit my office afterwards, so that we purchase the application form and fill it appropriately.

I wish you all the best in your choice of career and academic endeavor.

Best regards,

Clement

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter effectively addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You provided details about the optometry course, explained why the university is recommended, and offered clear steps for the application process. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are relevant and sufficiently developed to meet the task requirements. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more personal detail or specific examples of 'clinical training' to make the advice feel more authentic and tailored to your friend's specific situation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a closing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different topics. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Finally' to guide the reader through the steps. While these are functional, the transitions are somewhat mechanical. To improve, you could vary your linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences feels more natural rather than relying on a list-like structure. Overall, the message is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using subject-specific terms like 'clinical training', 'scholarship opportunities', and 'academic endeavor'. There are some minor word choice issues, such as 'lowest past mark' (likely meaning 'minimum grade requirement') and 'the school have' (subject-verb agreement error). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the range of less common or idiomatic expressions that would characterize a higher band score. Focusing on more precise collocations will help elevate your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical slips that occur throughout the text. For example, 'the school have' should be 'the school has', and 'pass you west African examination' should be 'pass your West African examination'. Additionally, 'Having this program is interesting' is slightly unnatural; 'Studying this program is interesting' would be better. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing your control over subject-verb agreement and article usage will improve your accuracy.

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