Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-25

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You let a friend stay at your apartment while you were away on a trip. When you returned home, you discovered that a valuable possession was broken.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
• describe the broken possession.
• explain why it is important to you.
• explain what you would like your friend to do.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Peter,

I hope you had a great time while stay at my home. I am writing this letter to inform you that yesterday unfortunately i found my ceramic vase which was broken into pieces when i was cleaning the house.

It was really important for me because it was gifted by my grandmother when i graduated. It has very sentimental value in my life which cannot be replaced by any other vase or any special gift from anyone.

Could you please let me know how this was happened and how was this broken. i would really appreciate you if you can find the best restorer or and cover the cost of the repair.

Could you please come come to my house for figure it out.

Lots of love

Sara

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: describing the item, explaining its importance, and requesting action. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation of the vase's importance is brief, and the request for the friend to visit is somewhat abrupt. To improve, you should expand on the emotional significance of the gift and provide more detail regarding the logistics of the repair or the meeting to discuss the matter. Because the length requirement was not met, the task is not fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure, moving from the situation to the explanation and finally the request. Paragraphing is present, though the paragraphs are quite short. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'because' and 'however', but the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing. For example, the transition between the discovery of the broken item and the explanation of its value could be smoother. Using a wider variety of linking words would help improve the overall flow and logical progression of your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You use basic terms like 'great time', 'important', and 'broken'. While these communicate the message clearly, they do not demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. There are also some minor word-choice issues, such as 'restorer' (which is understandable but slightly unnatural in this context) and the repetitive use of 'vase'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more descriptive adjectives and precise collocations related to personal belongings and damage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

There are several grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with verb tense and sentence structure. For instance, 'while stay at my home' should be 'while staying at my home', and 'how this was happened' is grammatically incorrect. There are also punctuation errors, such as the lack of capitalization for 'i'. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentence structures are grammatically sound.

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