Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-26

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 Suman,

I hope you are doing well. I am sorry that I was unable to meet you this time. I returned back yesterday from my collge trip and I noticed that my laptop display was broken. I have to finish a assignment based on my trip and the deadline is on August 18, 2026.

Unfortunately, when I took computer out from my study table drawer, the display was cracked and was unable to turn it on. The laptop was no longer working. I took it to a technian, although he informed that he will repair it, but it will take few days. While I was away, I wants to check it with you that what happened to the laptop. I did not mean to blame you, however this laptop was gifted by mother and it was very special for me. I know accidents happen, please free to explain what exactly was happen. It is very important for me to know.

I did not mean to hurt you or blame you. But, I was worried about everything. I will look forward to your response.

Take care,

Harnoor

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the broken laptop is described, its importance is explained (a gift from your mother), and you request an explanation from your friend. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, although it fluctuates slightly between formal and informal. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented. To reach a higher band, ensure that the request for action is more specific; for example, you could suggest a way to resolve the issue, such as asking for help with repair costs or simply asking for an honest account of what happened to help you understand the situation better.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Ideas progress clearly from the discovery of the damage to the request for information. Cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'although', and 'however' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be more balanced. The flow is generally smooth, but the connection between the laptop being a gift and the request for an explanation could be tightened to improve the overall cohesion of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. You use some specific terms like 'technician' and 'assignment'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'I returned back' (redundant) and 'finish a assignment' (should be 'an assignment'). To improve, try to incorporate more varied and precise vocabulary to describe your feelings or the situation, such as 'devastated' instead of 'worried' or 'invaluable' instead of 'very special'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'I wants to check' (subject-verb agreement), 'what happened to the laptop' (tense usage), and 'what exactly was happen' (incorrect passive construction). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on consistent verb tenses and subject-verb agreement will significantly 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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