Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-12

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have decided to look for a new job.

Write a letter to a friend. In your letter
• explain why you are looking for a new job.
• describe the kind of job you would like to have.
• ask your friend to help you find a job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear John,

I hope you are doing well. I have been working in a school from last six months, and currently thinking of changing it.

I am trying to find a new job as the current one is far from my place and takes one hour in commuting. I accepted earlier because of the good salary which they provide, but now long distance seems impacting my physical and mental well-being.

I am looking for a full-time job as an assistant teacher of English, but closer to my residence. Moreover, I prefer not to join a boarding school which would demand longer hours and I would not be able to give for my family commitments.

If you have any such vacany in mind, please let me know. Also, I would appreciate if you can refer me to someone as you have been in the teaching profession for a long time now.

I hope you will assist me. Please do the needful and give me a call whenever you feel free.

Warm Regards,

Mamta

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all three bullet points required in the task instructions. First, the writer clearly explains why they are looking for a new job, citing the long commute and its impact on their physical and mental well-being. Second, the ideal job is accurately described as a full-time English assistant teacher role closer to home, while explicitly avoiding a boarding school due to family commitments. Third, the letter effectively asks the friend for help, including checking for vacancies and offering a referral. The tone is appropriately informal and friendly throughout, suitable for a letter to a peer. All parts of the prompt are fully addressed with relevant, well-developed ideas, meeting the criteria for a strong band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear overarching progression. It begins with a friendly opening and statement of purpose, moves into the reasons for leaving the current job, specifies the desired role, and concludes with a request for assistance and a sign-off. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the letter. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'If', and 'Also' are used effectively to connect ideas, though referencing is occasionally slightly repetitive. Overall, the flow is natural and easy to follow, supporting clear communication throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suitable for a personal letter. Phrases such as 'physical and mental well-being', 'family commitments', and 'teaching profession' show flexibility and precision. However, there are a few minor collocation and word choice inaccuracies, such as 'working in a school from last six months' (should be 'for the last six months') and 'vacany' (spelling error). Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary used is sufficient to convey precise meanings and maintain natural communication without causing confusion for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The text contains a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('If you have any such vacany in mind, please let me know') and relative clauses ('which would demand longer hours'). Control of grammar is generally good, but there are a few noticeable errors, including preposition misuse ('takes one hour in commuting' instead of 'in commuting' or 'to commute') and tense usage ('working... from last six months' instead of 'for the past six months'). Punctuation and sentence boundaries are generally sound, and these minor errors do not impede overall communication.

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