Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-02

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 Ashma,

I hope you are doing well, and I am also doing great. A few days ago, I got your message that you are joining the University this year and that you want to take the same course. I took the Health Science course this year because I think it is a better choice for a career. Also, Health Science is quite interesting and better for gaining knowledge about health. I will recommend you university for this course because their way of teaching is different from others; they have labs for practical experiments, internship programmes, and flexible timing for classes. If you are interested in applying, you have to fill out the application form; if it gets approved, then you have to visit their official branch. If you need any help, I am always there for you. If you want to discuss anything in person about the course, we can meet this Sunday.

Best Wishes

Jashan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, successfully covering the required bullet points by giving details of the Health Science course, recommending the university based on specific features like labs and internships, and offering application advice. The main ideas are relevant and generally clear, fulfilling the requirements for a mid-level score, and some aspects are more fully developed than others. For instance, while the recommendation part is elaborated with practical examples such as internship programmes and lab facilities, the advice about how to apply remains somewhat superficial and basic, mentioning only that the writer has to fill out an application form and visit an official branch. To reach a higher level, all parts of the prompt would need to be equally extended and supported with greater depth and detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear friendly opening and closing, and the information flows sensibly from course details to recommendations and application advice. However, cohesion at this level is sometimes faulty or mechanical. The text relies heavily on basic cohesive devices and repetitive connectors, such as repeatedly using 'Also' and 'If', which makes the transitions feel a bit rigid rather than naturally flowing. Furthermore, paragraphing is not utilised to separate the distinct parts of the prompt; the entire body of the letter is compressed into a single dense paragraph. To improve this criterion, the writer should organise the content into distinct, logical paragraphs and employ a wider, more varied range of cohesive ties to link ideas smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their message about university courses and application procedures effectively. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'internship programmes' and 'practical experiments', showing an awareness of topic-related terminology. However, there are noticeable limitations and occasional inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'I will recommend you university' instead of 'recommend your university', and the repetitive use of simple adjectives like 'good', 'better', and 'great'. These lexical shortcomings do not impede communication, but they reflect a restricted range. To achieve a higher score, the writer needs to incorporate a broader variety of sophisticated vocabulary and demonstrate greater precision in collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a reasonable mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating conditional structures like 'If you are interested in applying...' and relative clauses. There is a control over basic grammar and verb tenses, and meaning is rarely obscured. However, there are some noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text. For example, there are missing articles and preposition issues, such as 'recommend you university' and 'visit their official branch'. Additionally, the opening sentence contains a slightly awkward coordination of clauses ('I hope you are doing well, and I am also doing great'). To move towards a higher band, the writer must produce a greater proportion of error-free complex sentences and refine their control over articles and prepositions.

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

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