Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-10

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 Jen,

I am writhing this letter to express my disappointment in regard of one of my valuable showcase which I used to keep on my shelf and today. Unfortunately, I found it broken under the table in living room. This was an irreplaceable gift from my grandfather when he was alive. This showcase might not look prestigious and expensive, however, this was extremely close to my heart. Furthermore, the showcase was the last purchase that me and my grandfather did together. I kept it with me in my living room, in his memory because this provides me calmness and peace - when I come back from long hours of work on usual days. This was an unexpected incident while I was away. Therefore I have a solution and I ask you, if you can come someday home and help me recreate it. Instead of getting angry I would like to bind the broken pieces and recreate the sculpture, I hope you will understand and help me. Hope to see you this weekend.

Yours sincerely

Aradhna

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: the item is described, its importance is explained, and a request for help is made. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a balance between expressing disappointment and remaining constructive. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, though the description of the 'showcase' is slightly confusing as the term usually refers to a display cabinet rather than a small object. However, the intent is clear, and the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear progression from the incident to the emotional significance and finally the proposed solution. Paragraphing is present, though the letter could benefit from clearer separation between the introduction, the body, and the closing. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Unfortunately', and 'Therefore' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Overall, the message is easy to follow, and the flow of information is consistent throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, though there are some inaccuracies in word choice. For example, 'showcase' is used to describe a small object, which is likely a misuse of the term (perhaps 'ornament' or 'figurine' was intended). Phrases like 'prestigious and expensive' are used correctly, but there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary. Spelling is generally accurate, but the word 'writhing' (instead of 'writing') is a noticeable error that slightly impacts the professional quality of the opening.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'in regard of' (should be 'in regard to'), 'that me and my grandfather did' (should be 'that my grandfather and I did'), and 'come someday home' (word order). While these errors are present, they do not impede communication, and the meaning remains clear. A wider variety of complex sentence structures would be needed to reach a higher band score.

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

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