Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-18

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 Bob,

I hope this letter finds you well.

I am writing to thanking you for staying and take care of my house while i was on my business trip you really did a great job and i am thankful to you that just because of you i travel stress free because i leave my house one of my trustworthy friend.

I noticed one thing in my house when i returned from my business trip that one of my valuable pot has been broken which was gifted by my late grandmother that is the reason it was important to me because it has many memories and when i see that pot i always feel that my grandmother is with me and as you may know, I was the closest person to my grandmother in my family.

I know that it was broken by mistake that was not your fault and i am not blaming you to braking it ,I just want you to fix that vas any how.

If you can fix that vas that will be the biggest win for me and I do not want top buy a new one because you can find it anywhere but the love and blessings that my grandmother put in that you can not find it anywhere.

I hope you understand my situation.

Yours lovingly,

Tom

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the broken item is described, its sentimental value is explained, and a request for repair is made. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a personal and communicative style throughout. The ideas are relevant and clearly expressed, though the development could be slightly more sophisticated. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the response effectively conveys the emotional significance of the item. Overall, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. There is a clear progression of ideas from the initial greeting and gratitude to the description of the incident and the final request. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'that is the reason' and 'if you can', the flow is occasionally slightly repetitive. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, and the letter is easy to follow. To reach a higher band, more varied linking words and smoother transitions between sentences would be beneficial.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their feelings and describe the situation clearly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'fix that vas' (vase) and 'biggest win'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on common, everyday language. While the meaning is always clear, the lack of more precise or sophisticated vocabulary prevents a higher score. Improving spelling and using more specific collocations would enhance the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, such as 'I am writing to thanking you' instead of 'to thank you' and 'I leave my house' instead of 'I left my house'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency and accuracy of the text.

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

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