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 Mishika,

Hello Mishika. How are you doing? I hope you are doing well . I know we are going to meet at the end of this month but I am writing this to express my concern regarding my broken PS-5 which I left in the common room when I was away on a trip.

When I returned back from Banf on this Monday I say my Play station was broken on the table in common area and all the pieces were scattered here and there. I was shocked to see that view. I remember before leaving for trip , I played whole night with my Ps-5. You know that it’s very precious to me.

As, you must remember that it was gifted to me by my sister on my 20th birthday. I was on cloud nine after seeing my birthday present. I have been using it for last 2 years. I spent my most happy time with it. Whenever i feel stressed , I play games on my play station . I have made a lot of memories with my ps.

I just want to know how it happened as I gave my apartment keys to you before leaving and you were living here since I left. I hope you haven’t invited anyone else to play games with you on my ps-5 . If it is so, I would be very angry with you. I just want to know the whole matter.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Your’s lovingly,

Kunwar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: describing the broken PS-5, explaining its sentimental value, and stating what you would like your friend to do. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, although it becomes slightly accusatory in the final paragraph. To improve, ensure the request for action is clearer; while you ask for an explanation, you could also suggest a resolution, such as a repair or replacement, to better fulfill the 'what you would like your friend to do' requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the description of the item from the emotional significance and the request for information. You use some cohesive devices like 'As,' 'Whenever,' and 'I look forward to,' which help the flow. However, some transitions between sentences are a bit mechanical, and the connection between the shock of the broken item and the request for an explanation could be smoother to improve the overall progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'on cloud nine' and 'express my concern' are used effectively. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'returned back' (redundant, as 'returned' implies 'back') and 'I say my Play station' (should be 'I saw'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the vocabulary from reaching a higher band. Using more precise descriptive adjectives for the damage would also enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I played whole night' (missing article 'the'), 'I have been using it for last 2 years' (missing 'the'), and 'Your’s lovingly' (incorrect apostrophe usage). Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as spaces before periods. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning. To reach a higher band, focus on consistent use of articles and correct punctuation in your closing salutations.

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

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