Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have rented a house by a lake for the summer.

Write a letter to a friend. In your letter
• describe the house.
• describe how you are spending your time there.
• invite your friend to come and visit.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ____

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Dear Jake,

I hope you're doing well! I am writing this letter to let you know that I have finally arrived at the lake house which I rented for the summer to spend quality time with my family. We're having the time of our lives and enjoying it.

I would describe it as a cosy wooden cottage with three bedrooms, a large balcony, a fireplace, big windows facing the lake where I saw the most beautiful sunset of my life. There is also a small garden where the kids spend time playing soccer, and a private dock. The view is very peaceful and calming during summer from this side of the lake. Moreover, we have been having barbecues, fishing, kayaking, swimming and my favourite of all, taking long walks by the lake.

U should definitely come and stay with us for a few days. We could go out for boat rides and experience the fun activities we do everyday around here. I would be very happy to host you and recall some fun memories from our childhood.

Best wishes,

Nitya

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described the house (cosy wooden cottage, balcony, fireplace), explained how you are spending your time (barbecues, kayaking, swimming), and extended a clear invitation to your friend. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and informal register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements, providing enough detail to create a clear picture for the reader. The letter follows the required structure and meets the purpose of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'I would describe it as' to link your thoughts effectively. The transition between describing the house and your activities is smooth. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body, and conclusion. The overall flow is natural and coherent, making the letter easy to read and understand.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for this task. Phrases like 'time of our lives', 'cosy wooden cottage', and 'peaceful and calming' are used effectively to convey your experience. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and natural, there is room to incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations to reach the highest bands. For instance, instead of 'big windows', you could use 'expansive windows'. Your word choice is precise enough to convey your meaning clearly without any errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with good control. For example, the sentence 'There is also a small garden where the kids spend time playing soccer, and a private dock' shows a good grasp of relative clauses. There is one minor informal error: 'U should definitely come' should be written as 'You should definitely come' to maintain a consistent standard of English. Aside from this, your grammar is accurate, and your punctuation is generally correct. The majority of your sentences are error-free, reflecting a solid command of English grammar.

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

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