Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-08

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 Joey,

Hopefully, you and your family are in great spirits! I'm so sorry for not being in touch lately, but I wanted to make up for it now by writing you this letter.

Regarding my current situation, I’m working night shifts at Costco which resulted negatively on my mental health. Hence, by the recommendation of the doctor I have planned to search for a new job that offers me day shift.

Another thing is, not only do I have experience in the food industry, but I also have experience in retail. So, I'm flexible to work in any industry regardless of morning shifts.

I hate to ask but can you help me by giving the reference in your company? Also, I would be grateful if you can drop my resume in The Vault Company situated near your house.

Give my love to your family. Get back to me whenever you get a chance. Can't wait to see you soon!

Regards,

Anshu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter covers all three requested points: you explain that night shifts at Costco have affected your mental health, describe wanting daytime work, and ask Joey for help with a company reference and delivering your résumé. The friendly opening and closing also suit the audience. The reason for changing jobs is clear, but the type of role is less fully described: “flexible to work in any industry” gives little indication of the duties, hours, or workplace you prefer beyond day shifts. The request for help is specific, though it could be clearer whether you want Joey to recommend you for a vacancy or simply pass on your résumé. Developing these details would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall progression, moving from a personal greeting to your current situation, preferred work, a request, and a friendly sign-off. Paragraphing helps separate these functions, and phrases such as “Regarding my current situation” and “Another thing is” guide the reader through the message. The sequence is easy to follow, although some transitions feel formulaic, and “Another thing is” does not clearly signal the relationship between your experience and the kind of job you want. The sentence beginning “not only” is also slightly awkwardly organised. To strengthen cohesion, connect your experience directly to the roles you are seeking and use transitions that express the precise relationship between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including relevant terms such as “night shifts,” “mental health,” “retail,” “reference,” and “resume.” The tone is generally friendly and appropriate, and the reader can understand your meaning throughout. Some word choices and collocations are less natural, however: “resulted negatively on my mental health” and “giving the reference” do not express the intended meanings idiomatically. “Regardless of morning shifts” is also unclear, since it seems to conflict with your preference for day work. Aim for more precise phrases such as “has had a negative effect on” and “provide a reference,” and distinguish clearly between the industries you are open to and the hours you prefer.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The letter includes a mix of simple and more complex structures, such as “I’m so sorry for not being in touch lately, but…” and “not only do I have experience…, but I also have…”. Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and punctuation generally supports the friendly tone. Some grammatical errors remain. In “which resulted negatively on my mental health,” the relative clause and verb pattern are not formed accurately; “which has had a negative effect on my mental health” would be clearer. “By the recommendation of the doctor I have planned” also needs a more natural grammatical construction, such as “Following my doctor’s recommendation, I plan…”. Review verb patterns and clause construction while retaining your attempts at varied sentences.

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

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