Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-26

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 Karma,

How's everything going on? I'm writing to let you know that I have a business trip to Thimphu from July 10 to 16. In the mean time I'll get some leisure time to explore places around the city.

I really don't have much idea about the city other than the townhall and the marketplace; I'm planning to visit places that I've never been? Can you tell me what are some of the best places to to? Additionally, I'm also fond of eating and I would be very happy to get some recommendations of the best restaurants in the city.

By the way, are you available by chance? I have heard that new animals were brought in the zoo and that is on my bucket list as well. I would be glad if you could join me in visiting the zoo. I'm really excited to see you and explore the city with you.

Looking forward to seeing you.

Best,

Limx

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the purpose of your trip (business), asked for recommendations regarding sightseeing and dining, and extended a specific invitation to visit the zoo. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and informal register throughout. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands the context and your intentions. To reach a higher band, ensure that all questions are punctuated correctly, as the question 'I'm planning to visit places that I've never been?' is grammatically a statement rather than a question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In the mean time', 'Additionally', and 'By the way' to link your ideas. However, the transition between the first and second paragraph could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a letter format. To improve, try to vary your cohesive devices further to avoid relying on simple sentence-initial connectors.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using natural expressions like 'bucket list' and 'leisure time'. The language is generally precise and fits the informal context well. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. To move into the higher bands, try to incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations. For example, instead of saying 'I really don't have much idea', you could use 'I am not particularly familiar with the city'. Overall, your vocabulary is sufficient and effectively conveys your message.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free. There are a few minor slips, such as 'How's everything going on?' (which is slightly redundant; 'How is everything going?' is more natural) and the punctuation error in the question 'I'm planning to visit places that I've never been?'. Despite these minor issues, your control over grammar is good, and your meaning is always clear. You demonstrate a solid grasp of tense usage, particularly regarding future plans for your trip.

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

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