Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-09

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)

Hi Mayank,

It's been a while since we last caught up; I hope you are doing well. I got your message that you're thinking to take Web development course at Waterloo university just like I took last year.

Let me be honest with you, I was also confused about this course initially but I bet you'll like this course as I know that you're always up to developing new apps and websites. Well my friend, this course is perfectly aligned with your interests such as learning JAVA, Python and C programming languages. Not only that, it contain interesting practical and group projects in every chapter.

I'll definitely recommend this course not only because it aligns with your interest but there are several career opportunities available in current competitive job market. You know what's more exciting? You'll get six figure salary.

You just have to fill the form to apply for this course. I'll send you the form link if you want or how about you come over and I'll do it for you? See you soon!

Best regards,

Umang

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: it describes the Web Development course, explains why the university is recommended, and provides advice on the application process. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and informal register throughout. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, though the explanation of the application process is slightly brief. To reach a higher band, you could expand on the specific steps of the application process, such as mentioning required documents or deadlines, to provide more comprehensive advice.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the initial greeting to course details, recommendations, and finally, practical advice. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Not only that' and 'I'll definitely recommend this course not only because...', which help link ideas. However, the transition between the recommendation and the application advice is a bit abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words or phrases would improve the flow and make the connection between paragraphs more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for an informal letter, such as 'perfectly aligned', 'competitive job market', and 'caught up'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'thinking to take' instead of 'thinking of taking' and 'it contain' instead of 'it contains'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more attention to subject-verb agreement and prepositional usage. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and ensure that your verb forms are consistently accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'thinking to take' (thinking of taking), 'it contain' (it contains), and 'six figure salary' (a six-figure salary). Punctuation is generally handled well, though there are some minor slips. The majority of your sentences are clear and easy to understand, but the frequency of small grammatical errors prevents a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage will help you achieve greater accuracy.

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

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