Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-06

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 Aman,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to inquire about the breakage of the family photo frame.

When I left the house, it was in good condition; however, when I came from the office meeting after five days, i noticed it was cracked.

This picture is more than just a family photo for me because it reminds me of the beauty of my sister's wedding, where we were all not only delighted but also well dressed up together. Moreover, it was the last picture with my father before he passed away.

I would like to know the reason why you were at home while I was on an official trip. If possible, please ask the photographers to make the same frame so I can preserve my memories, as you are working in this field. It would be easier for you to find someone to make it.

I look forward to a positive response.

Best regards,

K

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described the broken item (a family photo frame), explained its emotional significance, and requested a specific action from your friend. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, although the request for the friend to explain why they were at home while you were away is slightly confusing, as the prompt implies they were staying there with your permission. To improve, ensure your narrative logic is consistent throughout the letter. Overall, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use some cohesive devices such as 'however', 'moreover', and 'as', which help the flow of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the description of the item from the request for action. To reach a higher band, you could vary your linking words further and ensure that the transition between the emotional significance of the photo and the request for the friend to fix it is smoother.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'inquire about the breakage', 'preserve my memories', and 'official trip' are used correctly. There are some minor awkward phrasings, such as 'well dressed up together', which sounds slightly unnatural. You have sufficient vocabulary to convey your meaning clearly, but incorporating more precise collocations or idiomatic expressions would enhance the sophistication of your writing. The vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks the flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the lowercase 'i' in 'i noticed' and the slightly awkward construction 'ask the photographers to make the same frame'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. Your control over punctuation is generally good, but ensure that you maintain consistent capitalization. To improve, focus on refining complex sentence structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement throughout the text.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.