Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-05

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 6.0)

Dear Susan,

I hope you are doing well and your overall stay was pleasant at my residence. However, when I returned back from the trip, I noticed one of my flower vase was shattered into multiple pieces.

That flower vase holds really meaningful memories for me. That is because, it was gifted to me by my grandmother. Also, she bought it especially for me when she went on a trip to Pune. I know it looks like a normal vase but since she gifted it to me, it holds a special place in my heart.

Also, the vase was quite different as it had numerous gems of pink and red colour which makes it magnificent. In addition to that, the shape and overall colour of the vase was also unique which can't be explained.

Therefore, I would be sending you the link from where you can purchase the vase. As, my grandmother told me, the shop does sell these online as well. Please order it to my address as a courtesy as it was broken by you.

I will be looking forward to your response in this issue.

Yours truly,

Simran

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described the broken vase, explained its sentimental value, and clearly stated what you would like your friend to do. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, although it leans slightly towards being overly formal in certain phrases like 'at my residence' or 'as a courtesy'. To improve, ensure that the tone remains consistent throughout; while you are upset, the language should still sound natural for a personal letter. Overall, the task requirements are fully met with clear and relevant ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your narrative easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition to that' and 'Therefore' to link your thoughts. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences feels more natural rather than relying on standard connectors at the start of every paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Words like 'shattered', 'magnificent', and 'sentimental' (implied) help describe the situation well. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'returned back' (which is redundant) and 'in this issue' (which should be 'regarding this issue'). While the vocabulary is sufficient for the task, it lacks the sophistication or precise collocations required for higher bands. Expanding your use of descriptive adjectives and more natural idiomatic expressions would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'one of my flower vase' (should be 'vases') and 'the shop does sell these online as well' (slightly awkward phrasing). Additionally, 'As, my grandmother told me' contains an unnecessary comma. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and punctuation rules to improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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