Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-21

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 Annie,

I hope this letter finds you well. As you know, I'm spending the summer at a dainty house by the lake with my boyfriend, and I have been itching to share with you how amazing this summer has been.

The house is a cottage with brown bricks and a backyard that opens into the lake. We are surrounded by beautiful flowers, some even creeping onto the bricks of the house. On the inside is a cozy room and a kitchen that is old fashioned, which we both love so much.

So far, we've spent our mornings at the backyard, watching the sunrise and feeding the ducks together. Most of our day is spent in bed, playing board games after breakfast. We like to snuggle together in the evenings and take polaroid pictures.

So far, it's been magical, but still incomplete without you. I miss the spontaneity that comes with being around you. I was talking about it with James and he suggested that you could spend a week with us. How does that sound? I love the idea so much, and I cannot wait to see you.

Love,

Cat.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter addresses all three requirements clearly: you describe the cottage and its setting, explain your daily activities, and invite Annie to stay for a week. Details such as the backyard opening onto the lake, feeding ducks at sunrise, and taking photographs make the account personal and relevant. The invitation is warm and direct, especially in “How does that sound?” and “I cannot wait to see you.” The ideas are extended enough to give the reader a clear picture, though the description of the interior is comparatively brief, and the time spent there could be made more vivid with one or two specific examples of the board games or outings. Overall, the purpose and friendly tone are sustained throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The information follows a clear progression: you open with the news, describe the house, move on to your routine, and finish with the invitation. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and linking phrases such as “As you know,” “So far,” and “but still” help connect the ideas. The letter is easy to follow and maintains a consistent personal voice. There is some repetition of “So far” in the activity and closing paragraphs; varying this transition would make the flow more flexible. The shift from the house description to the daily routine is understandable, but a brief linking sentence could make the change feel more natural. Overall, cohesion is effective, with only small opportunities to make transitions less noticeable.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a good range of vocabulary for a friendly letter, including expressive choices such as “itching to share,” “cozy,” “spontaneity,” and “magical.” These help convey enthusiasm and affection, while concrete details like “brown bricks,” “sunrise,” and “feeding the ducks” make the setting easy to imagine. Some phrasing is less precise or natural: “a dainty house” does not quite suit a cottage, and “spent our mornings at the backyard” is an awkward collocation. “Old fashioned” would also be clearer as “old-fashioned” when used before a noun. More precise descriptive language and a few varied alternatives to “beautiful” or “amazing” would strengthen flexibility and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The letter shows a useful mix of sentence forms, including the complex opening sentence with “As you know” and the relative clause “which we both love so much.” Most sentences are clear and accurately controlled, and the present perfect in “I have been itching” and “we've spent” suits the context. A few grammatical choices need attention. In “spent our mornings at the backyard,” the preposition should be “in” or “in the backyard”; “On the inside is a cozy room and a kitchen” also has an awkward inversion and agreement pattern, which could be recast as “Inside, there is a cozy room and an old-fashioned kitchen.” Check punctuation around “James,” too: a comma before “and he suggested” would clarify the sentence. These are minor issues in an otherwise controlled response.

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

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