Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-13

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 6.5)

Hello Tim,

How are you doing? It's been a long time, we haven't met. Yesterday, I received your letter, and I was glad to know that you passed with distinction in high school. Now you are exploring various option for higher studies.

It's one of the difficult decisions for a student to choose a right stream and suitable university. I have completed BBA in Punjab University, Chandigarh. It was the best decision, I have ever made because this degree in business administration helped me to secure a position in a multinational company.

One of the primary reason why I'd suggest you to pursue your third-level education in this university is that it's a well-reputative university. Also, it has experienced staff, who will help you to broaden your horizons.

When it comes to apply for the course, two options are there. First, you can go in-person and submit your form over the counter. Second option is that you can apply online on their official website. I personally believe that the second options is more convenient, and time efficient.

If you need any further assistance, feel free to contact me.

See you soon.

With love,

Pooja

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You provided details about your BBA course at Punjab University, explained why you recommend it (reputation and staff), and outlined 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 clearly presented, meeting the requirements of the task effectively. To improve further, you could provide slightly more specific detail about the course content or the university environment to make the advice feel more personal and well-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

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 some cohesive devices, such as 'First' and 'Second', to guide the reader through the application process. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is slightly abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is consistently clear would help elevate this score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'multinational company', 'broaden your horizons', and 'time efficient'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, 'well-reputative' is not standard English; 'well-regarded' or 'reputable' would be more natural. Additionally, 'various option' should be plural ('various options'). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating more precise collocations and ensuring grammatical accuracy in word forms would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'One of the primary reason' (should be 'reasons'), 'suggest you to pursue' (should be 'suggest that you pursue'), and 'the second options is' (should be 'option is'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of infinitive versus gerund structures after specific verbs.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.