Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-13

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 7.5)

Dear Tom,

I hope you are doing well. I am obliged that you reached out to me about the Comptuters course that you are thinking about applying at MIT. It is a four year course and covers topics like Data Engineering, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. Not only it covers the theoretical aspects, but it also covers the practical application of the knowledge, which is one of the advantages of doing this course at MIT.

I highly recommend doing computers course at this university as the programme includes the latest programming languages, has great faculty and the computer lab is definitely state-of-the-art. After graduating from MIT, I can assure you that you will be completely prepared to get a job right out of the college. The professors are very knowledgeable, approachable and they give the students a lot of individual attention, which can help resolve any doubts you might be having.

If you decide to apply, I would suggest going to their webssite and read about the prerequisites. Their web portal is always up to date and you can get the latest information there. You will have to write an essay on why you want to attend the course at MIT, my advice would be to visit the university prior to that and give them prominent and realistic answers, that will show them how committed you are to do the course there.

I wish you best of luck for your application and feel free to reach out if you have any doubts.

Best regards,

Adam Gilbert

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points required in the prompt. First, Adam gives clear details of the course he took, specifying that it is a four-year program covering subjects like Data Engineering, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence, blending both theoretical aspects and practical applications. Second, he explains why he recommends MIT, highlighting the state-of-the-art computer lab, latest programming languages, and approachable faculty who provide individual attention. Third, he provides helpful advice on how to apply, advising Tom to check prerequisites on the web portal, prepare an essay, and visit the university beforehand to give realistic answers. The tone is appropriately friendly and consistent with a general training letter, and the purpose is fully achieved with clear development of ideas throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and easy to follow from the introductory greeting through to the conclusion. The letter is structured into appropriate paragraphs, with each paragraph dedicated to a distinct aspect of the prompt: course details, university recommendations, and application advice. Cohesive devices such as 'Not only it covers', 'After graduating from MIT', and 'If you decide to apply' are used effectively to guide the reader through the text. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, maintaining a natural flow throughout the correspondence.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and flexible range of vocabulary suited to the context of university studies and giving advice. Phrases such as 'theoretical aspects', 'practical application', 'state-of-the-art', and 'prerequisites' are used appropriately. There are minor lexical and spelling slips, such as 'Comptuters' (a typo for Computers) and 'webssite', as well as a slight awkwardness in 'apply at MIT' rather than 'apply to MIT', but these do not impede communication. Less common vocabulary items are attempted with reasonable success, showing an awareness of register and topic-specific terminology.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

Adam demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Examples of complex structures include conditional clauses ('If you decide to apply, I would suggest...') and relative clauses ('...which is one of the advantages...'). There are a few grammatical inaccuracies, such as the inversion error 'Not only it covers' (which should be 'Not only does it cover') and a comma splice in the final sentence of the second paragraph. However, the majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is generally handled well. These occasional errors do not impede communication, reflecting a solid command of grammar.

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