Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-14

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 6.5)

Dear Reet,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to let you know that I am visiting your city for business purposes. Actually, I have some free time, so I thought I'd meet you and have some fun together.

It's the first time that I'll come to Nanaimo, and I want to explore many things because I've never been to your city. First, I'll attend the business meeting that is very important for me. After that, I have some spare time, so I want to enjoy it. Actually, I booked a hotel, and I'll stay there because we are two friends it's a group project for my business meeting. Afterwards, I'm interested in tourist attractions, beautiful parks and other places. If you know any interesting places, then let me know.

I am free after Tuesday, so my meeting is on Tuesday. If you have free time after that, then we'll meet and go to dinner. If you are available, then we'll spend time together.

Please let me know what you think. I am really looking forward to seeing you.

Best wishes,

Komal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate has successfully covered all three bullet points required by the prompt. First, the purpose of the trip is clearly explained as attending a business meeting in Nanaimo ("I am writing to let you know that I am visiting your city for business purposes"). Second, she asks about things to do and see ("If you know any interesting places, then let me know"). Third, she extends a clear invitation to do something together ("If you have free time after that, then we'll meet and go to dinner"). The tone is appropriately friendly and personal for a General Training letter to a friend. All parts of the prompt are addressed adequately, and the ideas flow logically throughout the letter, fulfilling the task requirements well.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is divided into sensible paragraphs that separate the introduction and purpose, the sightseeing inquiry, the scheduling details, and the closing remarks. Cohesive devices are generally used appropriately, such as "Actually," "First," and "Afterwards." However, there is some minor repetition in referencing and sentence transitions, such as repeating the word "Actually" and using slightly mechanical connectors like "If you are available, then we'll spend time together." Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the reader can easily follow the sequence of events and the writer's intentions from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The candidate uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating everyday concepts and travel arrangements. Phrases like "business purposes," "tourist attractions," and "group project" demonstrate a satisfactory lexical resource. However, the vocabulary tends to be somewhat repetitive and basic in places, with frequent use of simple modifiers and verbs like "have some fun," "enjoy it," and "interesting places." There are occasional minor lexical choices that lack absolute precision or natural collocation, but these do not impede communication. The overall range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with reasonable clarity, fitting the expectations for a band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures ("If you know any interesting places, then let me know" and "If you have free time after that, then we'll meet and go to dinner"). There is a good attempt at controlling grammar and punctuation, though some structural awkwardness appears, particularly in the run-on clause: "Actually, I booked a hotel, and I'll stay there because we are two friends it's a group project for my business meeting." This sentence contains a fused clause/comma splice error. Despite this and a few other minor mechanical slips, the majority of sentences are understandable, and errors rarely impede communication, placing the response solidly in the band 6 territory.

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

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