Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-28

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 John,

Hope you are doing well.

It has been a long time since we talk to each other after our high school. I'm writing this letter to inform you that I will be visiting Medina City on 10th October 2026 with my family. I was waiting for their visa approvals from Saudi Government and finally it is stamped on their passports yesterday. I always wanted to do Umrah Pilgrimage with my parents and siblings for a long time and finally it is happening.

It would be great if you could guide us through the city after we complete our pilgrimage tradition. We would also be shopping and collecting some souvenirs for the dear ones back at home. Besides, my family is very fond of desert safari and if you know anyone who can make it happen then it will be a great adventure.

As you are living there for more than 10 years, I thought you are the best person to connect to explore the city's ancient structures and sacred places of Islamic importance such as Badr Mosque, Masjid E Quba etc.

I'm very eager to visit the city and meet you in person so that we can revive and cherish our old memories together and explore the city as well.

Yours lovingly

Shahbaaz

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student covers all bullet points of the prompt very well. First, the purpose of the trip is clearly explained: visiting Medina City on 10th October 2026 to perform the Umrah Pilgrimage with family, as mentioned in 'I will be visiting Medina City on 10th October 2026 with my family.' Second, the letter asks about things to do and see, specifically mentioning desert safaris and historical/religious sites. Third, the student successfully invites the friend to do something together: 'It would be great if you could guide us through the city' and 'invite your friend to do something with you.' The tone is appropriately semi-formal to friendly throughout the letter, fulfilling all communicative requirements effectively. Ideas are well developed and relevant to a general training letter context.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear opening, body paragraphs addressing different aspects of the visit, and a warm closing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as the purpose of the trip, the request for sightseeing and activities, and the desire to meet. Cohesive devices like 'Besides', 'As you are living there', and 'and finally it is happening' are used reasonably well to connect sentences and clauses. However, some transitions feel slightly repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'and finally' in the first paragraph, and referencing could occasionally be smoother. Overall, the organisation ensures clear logical progression throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for a personal letter. Less common items such as 'Umrah Pilgrimage', 'souvenirs', 'desert safari', and 'ancient structures' are used correctly and fit the context well. There are some minor repetitive patterns, such as the repetition of 'finally it is', but word choice is generally clear. Some spelling and lexical choices are natural, although there are slight awkwardness instances like 'complete our pilgrimage tradition' rather than 'complete our pilgrimage'. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with good precision and flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The student uses a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional and relative clauses ('if you know anyone who can make it happen', 'As you are living there for more than 10 years'). There are a few grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, most notably the tense slip in 'It has been a long time since we talk to each other' (should be 'talked') and minor prepositional or article issues. Nevertheless, these errors do not impede communication, and the majority of simple sentences are accurate while complex structures demonstrate an attempt at grammatical variety.

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

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