Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-14

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You are planning a business trip to another city. You will have some free time to do some sightseeing while you are there.
 

Write a letter to a friend who lives in the city you will visit. In your letter:
• explain the purpose of the trip.
• ask about things to do and see in the city.
• invite your friend to do something with you during your visit.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ____

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Dear Robin,

How have you been? I hope everything is going well with you. It's been ages since we last caught up, and I've got some exciting news for you: I'm planning to come to your city because of a work assignment. I will have some free time to visit some places with you.

Since I've never been to your city before, I was wondering if you could recommend some places for me to explore. I am particularly interested in visiting museums, historical places, and places with beautiful natural views. Could you also tell me the best ways to get around the city and the best cuisines to try?

My assignment for work will take just three days, so I want to spend my time exploring a new place. Why don't we meet for dinner at a restaurant and spend time together by talking about our previous days? It would mean a lot to me if you could come. I had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

Let me know what you think about this plan.

Lots of love,

Manveer

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three requirements clearly and in an appropriate friendly tone. You explain that you are visiting for “a work assignment,” ask about museums, historical places, natural views, transport and food, and invite Robin to dinner. These details make the purpose and requests easy to understand, while “It would mean a lot to me if you could come” adds a personal touch. The ideas are well developed for this task, with only a small opportunity to make the invitation more specific—for example, suggesting a day or asking which evening suits Robin. Overall, the response addresses the task fully and communicates its purpose effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The letter has a clear progression: a friendly opening and explanation of the trip, questions about the city, then an invitation and closing. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and linking phrases such as “Since I've never been” and “My assignment for work will take just three days” help connect the ideas. The tone remains consistent from “How have you been?” to “Lots of love.” Some connections could be more precise: the shift from the sightseeing questions to the dinner invitation is understandable but slightly abrupt, and “this plan” refers broadly to the invitation without specifying its details. A smoother transition and a more concrete proposed arrangement would make the cohesion more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the letter and conveys the main ideas clearly, with relevant terms such as “work assignment,” “historical places,” and “natural views.” You also use a suitable range of expressions for a friendly letter. However, some wording is general or not quite natural in context: “spend time together by talking about our previous days” is awkward, and “best cuisines” would be more naturally expressed as “local dishes” or “local cuisine.” “Visit some places” and “spend my time exploring a new place” are also broad and repetitive. More precise, natural collocations would improve flexibility and control while preserving the warm tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the conditional-style question “I was wondering if you could recommend…” and the reason clause beginning “Since I've never been to your city before.” Most sentences are clear, and punctuation generally supports the meaning. A few grammatical choices need attention: “I had been looking forward to this day for a long time” uses a past perfect form that does not fit the present situation; “I have been looking forward to seeing you” would be more appropriate. In “spend time together by talking about our previous days,” the structure is grammatically possible but the phrasing is awkward. Greater control of tense choices and sentence phrasing would strengthen an otherwise clear response.

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

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