Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 Aman,

I am writing this letter to inform you that when I came back from my trip I found one of my favourite clock was broken and I am really disappointed when I saw it.

You know that it is very important for me because this clock was given by my father on my 20th birthday and it is really neat to my heart and I remember on my 20th birthday I was feeling really grumpy , and my father was living in Italy that time he gave me this clock as a surprise gift but any how it was really unhappy situation for me and I am looking to find the ways about how I can repair it.

I would love it if you are ready to help me since you are my close friend and I want you to repair it I already talked with mechanic he said to me he can easily repair it but the repair cost is very high and I can’t afford it it would be great t if you would distribute some chunks in it I am looking forward hearing from your side.

Love,

Anmol.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: the broken item is described, its importance is explained, and a request for help is made. However, the development of these points is somewhat uneven. The explanation of why the clock is important is a bit repetitive and includes unnecessary narrative detail about being 'grumpy' on your birthday, which detracts from the focus. The request for the friend to pay for the repairs is clear, but the tone is slightly informal and demanding. To improve, ensure that the explanation of the item's significance is more concise and that the request for assistance is phrased with greater sensitivity, given the delicate nature of the situation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into three distinct paragraphs, which is appropriate for a formal or semi-formal letter. However, the flow between ideas is sometimes hindered by a lack of effective cohesive devices. For example, the second paragraph is a long, run-on sentence that makes it difficult to follow the narrative. Using more transition words or breaking the text into shorter, clearer sentences would improve the logical progression. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'distribute some chunks in it,' which is confusing and does not clearly link back to the cost of the repair.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision. Phrases like 'neat to my heart' (meant to be 'dear to my heart') and 'distribute some chunks in it' are unnatural and impede clarity. While you successfully use some relevant terms like 'valuable possession' and 'surprise gift,' the overall range is limited. To reach a higher band, focus on using more accurate collocations and idiomatic expressions that are appropriate for a letter to a friend. Avoid literal translations of phrases that do not exist in English.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, particularly regarding sentence structure and punctuation. Many sentences are run-on, such as the second paragraph, which lacks proper full stops and commas. There are also errors in verb tense consistency ('my father was living in Italy that time he gave me') and article usage ('one of my favourite clock'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents a higher score. Focusing on sentence boundaries and subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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