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 Ana,

I hope you enjoyed your stay at my place. I'm writing this letter to inform you that upon returning home I've discovered a broken vase near the table. I was disappointed because it was the family heirloom and was really valuable to me and my family.

The black ceramic vase was laid shattered near my office room, this has caused me considerable inconvenience. This vase has been made by special china clay which has huge significance Worldwide. Moreover,it was adorned by rare jewels from Japan and was made under wabi-sabi concept.

Additionally, this historic piece is dear to my grandfather as it was made by my Great-grandfather and had been passed onto many generations of my family. It contains poignant memories of my Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother.

I know that the shattered pieces cannot be fixed together again but I would like you to apologize to my family. And I know it wasn't your intentions to break this but please do explain me how did this accident happened?

I'm looking forward to hear from you soon.

Your faithful

Ama

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe the broken vase, explain its sentimental and historical importance, and state what you would like your friend to do. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, though it shifts slightly between informal and formal. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the description of the vase's significance. To reach a higher band, ensure the transition between the disappointment of the broken item and the request for an apology feels more natural, as the current shift is slightly abrupt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your narrative. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'Additionally' to link ideas. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences is smoother. For example, the connection between the description of the vase and the request for an apology could be better integrated to improve the overall flow of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'heirloom', 'poignant', and 'adorned'. These choices show an attempt to use more sophisticated language. However, there are some inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'made by special china clay' (should be 'made of') and 'explain me how did this accident happened' (should be 'explain to me how this accident happened'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focus on learning the correct prepositions and verb patterns associated with your vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'this vase has been made' (should be 'was made'), 'explain me' (should be 'explain to me'), and 'how did this accident happened' (should be 'how this accident happened'). These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, pay closer attention to verb tenses and word order in indirect questions. Increasing your control over these structures will help you achieve a higher score.

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

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