Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-22

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 Priyanka,

I hope you had a comfortable stay at my home. I just got returned from travel and observed that there is entire laptop stand has broken, hope you are fine and not get injured.

I can see that whole laptop stand furniture got broke, it got teard from the top and the legs of the table got broke additionally the colour of the furniture also got scratched.

This particular item was a gift to me from my brother, he gave me this because I do work from home and due to long hours of seating the normal chairs gets uncomfortable that's why he bought this gift as it helps to relax the body while working.

I would like you to tell me what exactly happend during my absence, if somehow it is related to you and broke by you then I want to you to compensate with the money.

I hope this letter find you well and you understand the situation. Looking forward to your response.

Warm regards,

Nency

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the broken item, explaining its importance, and requesting compensation. However, the tone is somewhat inconsistent; while the opening is polite, the request for money is quite blunt and lacks the tact usually expected in a letter to a friend. The description of the damage is repetitive (e.g., 'laptop stand furniture got broke', 'legs of the table got broke'), which limits the clarity of the message. To improve, ensure that the tone remains friendly throughout, even when discussing a difficult topic like property damage, and provide a more precise description of the item.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific part of the prompt. There is a logical progression from the greeting to the description, the explanation of importance, and finally the request. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, the transition between sentences often relies on simple structures like 'this particular item' or 'that's why'. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between ideas could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect the sentences more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There is significant repetition of basic verbs such as 'broke' and 'got'. Phrases like 'got teard' and 'got scratched' are non-standard and indicate a limited range of collocations. While the meaning is generally clear, the word choice is often simplistic and lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more descriptive adjectives and varied verbs to explain the condition of the item and the nature of the damage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'I just got returned from travel' (incorrect tense/preposition), 'there is entire laptop stand has broken' (incorrect syntax), and 'if somehow it is related to you and broke by you' (passive voice error). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some run-on sentences. The errors are frequent enough to be noticeable, though they do not prevent the reader from understanding the core message.

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

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