Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-20

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 6.5)

Dear Sam,

Hope you're doing well. I'm over the moon to share that I'm coming over to Calgary next month for one of my upcoming projects.

As you know I'm a junior manager in my new job, I've been advised by management to keep an eye on our recent transit endeavor in Edmonton. Plus, I'd have to report to the site manager on a daily basis to closely overlook the whole project breakdown which could really a game-changer for my future promotion chances.

LOL, now comes your part. As you know, I'm a naive in trying something out of the blue moon, can you give a shot of what can be exciting to do in Calgary. Also, I have heard of Banff, it sounds so enticing, can you please prepare a list of most eye-catching places where we can go.

Don't think I'll leave you alone. I really want you to be beside me when we're roaming around the city and chit-chatting about our whole batch.

Lots of love,

Navjeet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points: explaining the purpose of the trip, asking for recommendations, and inviting your friend to join you. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, being informal and friendly. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of the business trip is slightly more focused on the 'why' rather than just the 'what', and ensure the transition between the business context and the social invitation is smoother. Overall, you have fulfilled the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'As you know' and 'Also', to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences could be improved. For instance, the transition in the third paragraph starting with 'LOL' feels a bit abrupt and informal for a standard letter. Using a wider variety of linking words or phrases would help the ideas progress more naturally. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'over the moon', 'endeavor', and 'enticing'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'I'm a naive in trying something' is grammatically incorrect and uses 'naive' as a noun, which is unnatural. 'Give a shot of' is also an incorrect idiom; the correct phrase is 'give it a shot'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning, these errors in collocation and word choice prevent a higher score. Focus on learning how words are typically grouped together in English.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I'd have to report... which could really a game-changer' (missing a verb) and 'I'm a naive in trying'. Additionally, 'I'm coming over to Calgary next month for one of my upcoming projects' is clear, but some phrasing is slightly awkward. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically complete.

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

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