Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-11

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 7.5)

Dear Matt,

I hope this letter finds you in great spirit. I am writing in response to your letter, seeking my advice on pursuing Business administration course from University of Toronto. Being an alumni of this prestigious institution, I would highly recommend this course.

I graduated from the same course two years ago and I successfully achieved my desired position at a very well known business firm. This course thoroughly focuses on different aspects of business both theoretically and practically. The final term holds a great importance, when you will be working as an intern in a real business environment. This will give you an opportunity to learn and apply your skills in the real working environment.

The reason why I strongly recommend this university is that you will have the best mentors and highly sophisticated infrastructure equipped with advanced technology. In addition, you will be placed into the leading organizations for your internship. Consequently, the chances of your success will be the highest.

You can apply easily through the online application form by visiting the official website of the university. Also, you can apply though paper application form by visiting the university itself.

Their representatives are so helpful and will guide you through each and every step.

Yours truly

Gurpreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You provided details about the Business Administration course, explained the benefits of the university, and offered clear advice on the application process. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly yet informative style throughout. The ideas are well-developed, particularly regarding the internship component and the university's infrastructure. To reach a higher band, ensure that the opening and closing salutations are consistent with the informal nature of the task; 'Yours truly' is typically reserved for formal business correspondence, whereas 'Best wishes' or 'Warm regards' would be more suitable for a friend.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the course description to the university's benefits and finally to the application process. You make effective use of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Consequently', and 'Also' to link your sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is clear and appropriate for the task. To improve further, try to vary your sentence starters even more to avoid a slightly repetitive structure in the middle paragraphs, which would enhance the overall flow and readability of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context, such as 'prestigious institution', 'sophisticated infrastructure', and 'internship'. The language used is natural and conveys your meaning clearly. There are a few minor word choice issues, such as 'Being an alumni' (the singular is 'alumnus' or 'alumna') and 'pursuing Business administration course' (which requires an article: 'a' or 'the'). However, these errors do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, incorporate more precise collocations or idiomatic expressions that sound more natural in a personal letter to a friend.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There are a few minor slips, such as 'the highest' (which is slightly unnatural in this context; 'very high' or 'excellent' would be better) and the aforementioned article usage. Punctuation is generally handled well. To move into the higher bands, aim to use a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or more varied subordinate clauses, while maintaining the high level of accuracy you have already achieved.

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

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