Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-19

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 am writing this letter to seek a advice from you regarding a new job.

Last month I resigned my Mechanical Engineer job because of family sickness. Actually from 8 years it was really tough for me to stay out of country. I was suffering from depression and loneliness, which significantly reduced my productivity. That's why I decided to switch for a new job in my native country, where I can utilize my quality time with my family.

I am looking for similar as Mechanical Engineer job because since my school times I have great intrest in Mechanical Engineering.

As you have a similar job, I am requesting you to help me to find a suitable job for me related my work experience. I believe you will understand my situation.

Hope for a positive response from your side.

Best wishes,

Amrinder Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student has successfully covered all three bullet points required in the prompt. The letter begins with an appropriate informal greeting, explains the reason for looking for a new job due to leaving a previous position and family reasons, describes the desired job as a Mechanical Engineer, and clearly asks the friend for assistance in finding a suitable opportunity. The tone is appropriately semi-formal or informal for a letter to a friend. The purpose of the letter is fully clear and all parts of the prompt are addressed with relevant and well-developed ideas, aligning well with the descriptors for Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organised into distinct paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. Cohesion is managed adequately with appropriate use of paragraphing and simple linking words such as 'Actually' and 'That's why'. However, some cohesive devices feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and referencing could be smoother, such as in the transition between paragraphs regarding the job description. Progression is logical throughout, guiding the reader clearly from the explanation of the situation to the request for help, matching the requirements for Band 6.5, which rounds to Band 6.0 based on standard half-band practices or can be comfortably placed at Band 6.0 due to somewhat simplistic paragraph transitions.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully using terms related to engineering and employment, such as 'resigned', 'productivity', 'native country', and 'work experience'. There are, however, some noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations, such as 'seek a advice' (should be 'seek advice'), 'Mechanical Engineer job' (should be 'mechanical engineering job'), and 'quality time' where 'time' alone or 'valuable time' would be more natural. Despite these slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message clearly, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'where I can utilize my quality time with my family'). There are several grammatical errors present, such as 'resigned my Mechanical Engineer job' (missing the preposition 'from'), 'Actually from 8 years' (should be 'For 8 years'), and 'related my work experience' (should be 'related to my work experience'). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent the score from reaching Band 7. Control of grammar is sufficient for Band 6.

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

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