Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-10

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 6.0)

Dear Sarah,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this email to give you information about my university and the course that I recently completed. Firstly, it was so great to hear from you. I was thrilled to learn that you are considering applying for the Associate of Arts program at UCW University.

The AA course offers a thorough overview of core principles, including teaching, marketing and so on. During the final year, you get to work on real-world case studies and team projects, which gave me incredible practical experience.

Furthermore, I recommend my university because there are a lot of educational facilities; also, professors are well educated and teach more practical rather than theoretical. This is the best part of this university.

Well, I recommend that you apply online because it is the easiest way.

Let me know if you need any help.

Kind regards,

Max

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: course details, reasons for recommendation, and application advice. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat brief. For instance, the description of the course and the reasons for recommending the university could have been expanded with more specific examples or personal anecdotes to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 7 or higher. Because the length requirement was not met, the score is capped at a 5.0, as the task is only partially fulfilled in terms of the expected length and depth of development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used to separate the different points requested in the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'well' are used to guide the reader, though the transitions are somewhat basic. The progression of ideas is clear, but the brevity of the paragraphs makes the overall flow feel a bit disjointed. To improve, you should aim for more sophisticated linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a more substantial development of ideas to create a smoother, more cohesive narrative.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'core principles', 'case studies', and 'theoretical'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'well educated' and 'best part' are quite simple. To achieve a higher band score, you should attempt to use more precise and varied vocabulary, such as 'industry-standard facilities' or 'practical application of knowledge'. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication, but the lexical range does not demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I was thrilled to learn that you are considering...' and '...which gave me incredible practical experience.' There are some minor grammatical issues, such as 'teach more practical rather than theoretical', which should be 'teach more practical skills rather than theory'. Punctuation is generally accurate, and your sentences are easy to follow. While you show control over basic grammar, the range of complex structures is limited. Increasing the variety of sentence types and ensuring greater precision in your phrasing would help improve this score.

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

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