Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-15

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)

Dear Susan,

I recently heard you mentioning that you would love to study the same course I did the past two years at Great Zimbabwe University. I strongly recommend you to take Sociology degree at this school. It consists of 12 modules which contains vast knowledge of different cutural backgrounds and their coping behavior.

It will be my pleasure if you study at this University because you will learn a lot and shape your career path. The teachers are so friendly and polite. In addition the student teacher ratio is quite reasonable therefore each and every one of you gets the attention and support you require. Students are encouraged to study and work together. Accomodation is always available and affordable which makes it easier to access the liabrary anytime.

For you to get accepted into this programme, you have to apply online and pay £20 admission fee. In your application you are required to upload your cover letter and your academic results.

Wishing you the best in your application.

Kind regards,

Ruth

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address all three points clearly: you identify the Sociology course and its modules, explain benefits such as supportive teachers and affordable accommodation, and give application steps, including applying online and uploading documents. The recommendation is clear throughout, and the details are relevant to a friend considering the same course. Some support remains general, however: “you will learn a lot and shape your career path” does not explain what makes the course especially valuable, and the application advice could be more useful with a deadline or a suggestion to check entry requirements. Developing one or two points with specific examples would make the letter more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear progression from introducing the course, to explaining why you recommend the university, and then to application advice. Paragraphing supports these distinct purposes, while the opening and closing are appropriate for a friendly letter. Linking expressions such as “In addition” and “therefore” help connect supporting details, and the reader can follow the message easily. At times, however, the connections feel slightly mechanical, particularly where “therefore” joins the student–teacher ratio to the support students receive. You could improve the flow by varying transitions and making the relationship between ideas more explicit. For example, explain directly how the reasonable ratio allows teachers to give students individual attention.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the topic and includes some useful course-related language, such as “modules,” “student teacher ratio,” “academic results,” and “accommodation.” These choices make the main information clear. There are also some inaccurate or awkward expressions that limit precision: “cutural backgrounds” is misspelled, “coping behavior” is unclear in this context, and “take Sociology degree” is not a natural collocation. “Accomodation” and “liabrary” also contain spelling errors. Aim to use familiar words accurately rather than reaching for phrases whose meaning is uncertain. More precise wording for the course content and university facilities would make the letter sound more natural and polished.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the conditional “if you study at this University” and the reason-and-result construction “which makes it easier to access the library.” Most of the message remains understandable, and the sentence structures communicate the main points. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “12 modules which contains,” the verb should agree with the plural noun (“contain”); “I strongly recommend you to take” needs a different pattern (“recommend that you take”); and “the past two years” would be more accurately expressed as “for the past two years.” Review agreement, verb patterns after “recommend,” and article use in phrases such as “a Sociology degree.” Greater accuracy in these areas would strengthen control.

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