Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-08

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 6.0)

Dear Emeka,

I hope you are doing well. I am sorry that I have not reached out to you in a long time; this is because of my tight schedule at work. We have had many good conversations, and one of the most important topics we discussed was travelling to the city of Belfast, where you live. From my research, Belfast is such an amazing city, and the main purpose of my visit is to experience the rich natural and cultural environment, such as its good roads, nightlife, social activities and sightseeing opportunities.

I heard that there are a lot of events planned for the summer, and I would definitely like to seek your opinion on which ones I should attend. However, I would like to inform you that I plan on coming during the third week of the month, preferably at the weekend. It is wonderful to let you know that I already have a list of activities lined up throughout my stay.

As you well know, I am a very outgoing person; on the first day of my arrival, I would like to visit the ancient museum. This will help me experience the rich cultural heritage of the city, take pictures and capture every memorable moment. Also, I would like to visit the famous Chanel store. I have heard that things are very expensive there, but I have never believed it; this will be an opportunity to confirm everything I have been hearing from the people where I come from.

I anticipate hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

Precious

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You explain that the visit is connected to experiencing Belfast’s culture and surroundings, and you ask your friend for advice about summer events. However, the business purpose of the trip is not actually stated, so one key part of the task is only partially addressed. The sightseeing ideas—visiting a museum and the Chanel store—are specific, but the request for recommendations is not clearly tied to these plans. Most importantly, you do not invite Emeka to do anything with you; saying you would like to visit places does not make this invitation explicit. To strengthen the letter, briefly explain the work-related reason for travelling, ask about particular attractions, and invite your friend to join you for a named activity or meal.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: an opening, discussion of the visit and possible activities, and a polite closing. Paragraphing helps separate the background from your plans, and linking expressions such as “However” and “Also” guide the reader through the ideas. Some connections are less clear or feel mechanical, though. For example, the shift from asking about summer events to saying you already have activities lined up is not fully explained, and “It is wonderful to let you know” does not connect naturally to the information that follows. The final paragraph lists your own plans but does not lead into an invitation. Make the progression more purposeful by moving from the business reason to your free-time plans and then to a direct invitation.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary and show some flexibility with phrases such as “rich cultural heritage,” “sightseeing opportunities,” and “memorable moment.” These choices help convey enthusiasm for the visit. There are also attempts at less common or descriptive language, although some expressions are imprecise or unnatural in context. “Rich natural and cultural environment” is vague, while “good roads” does not clearly describe a sightseeing attraction. “Ancient museum” may not be the intended description, and “the people where I come from” is wordy. Choose more precise travel vocabulary and natural collocations, such as naming a museum or landmark and referring to local advice or what you have heard about prices. This would make the message clearer and more idiomatic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a variety of sentence forms, including complex clauses such as “I am sorry that I have not reached out to you in a long time; this is because of my tight schedule at work” and “This will help me experience…”. Many sentences are controlled and easy to understand, and punctuation is generally effective. A few grammatical or structural choices remain awkward. In “I plan on coming during the third week of the month, preferably at the weekend,” the timing is understandable but could be expressed more directly; “on the first day of my arrival” is also an unnecessarily complex construction. The sentence beginning “It is wonderful to let you know” is grammatically possible but does not fit the intended meaning well. Continue using varied structures, while checking that each clause expresses the intended relationship clearly and naturally.

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