Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-07

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 7.0)

Dear Crecy,

I hope you are doing well. Thank you for taking care of my place while I was away. The trip was amazing, and I have so much to tell you about it.

I am writing to let you know that when I returned from my trip and started unpacking my bags, I noticed that the watch kept on top of the shelf was broken and was missing one of its screws. As you know, the shelf contains several valuable items that were passed down to me by my ancestors. The damaged watch belonged to my great-grandmother, and my grandmother gave it to me when I turned 18. Therefore, it holds a great deal of sentimental value for me.

I would really appreciate it if you could lend me your car keys just for tomorrow so that I can drive to the store, which is about 10 kilometres from my house. In the meantime, I would also be grateful if you could keep an eye on my place once again.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Best wishes,

Neha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the broken watch is described, its sentimental importance is explained, and a request is made. However, the request is illogical and off-topic. You ask for the friend's car keys to drive to a store, which has no connection to the broken item. A more appropriate request would be to ask the friend to pay for repairs or explain how the damage occurred. Because the final part of the task is not addressed in a relevant or logical way, the development of ideas is hindered.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear structure. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, and the progression of ideas is logical until the final request. Cohesive devices such as 'In the meantime', 'Therefore', and 'As you know' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a consistent and friendly register throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'sentimental value', 'valuable items', and 'unpacking'. The language is natural and fits the context of a personal letter. There are no significant errors in word choice or spelling that impede communication. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise adjectives or idiomatic expressions to describe your feelings about the damaged heirloom.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. For example, 'The damaged watch belonged to my great-grandmother, and my grandmother gave it to me when I turned 18' is a well-constructed complex sentence. There are very few errors, and the punctuation is used correctly. The writing is fluent and easy to follow, showing a solid command of English grammar.

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

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