Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-19

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 7.5)

Dear John,

I am writing this letter to express a serious concern about one of my valuable wall clock, which I found broken and dumped in the dustbin.

The Clock was one of a kind, which was gifted by my late father on my last birthday. It was an antique and historical watch from the late 1800s, which he bought from the Museum auction that got shut down last year. It was not just a valuable collection but also a memory of my father. Whenever I used to see that watch, it would bring back nostalgic memories of my father.

Understandably, the watch is broken to an extent, and nothing else can replace the memories attach with it. I would like you to bring the watch to its merchant and get it repaired. The merchant's information is available on the sticker on the backside of the watch.

I hope you had a wonderful stay at my apartment. We will be in touch. See you soon.

Yours,

Kushal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all bullet points required by the prompt in a natural and appropriate tone. First, you successfully describe the broken possession as a valuable wall clock that is an antique from the late 1800s. Second, you clearly explain why it is important to you by noting that it was a unique gift from your late father and serves as a cherished memory. Finally, you explain what you would like your friend to do by asking them to take it to the merchant for repair, referencing the sticker on the back. The communicative purpose of the letter is completely achieved, adopting a suitable semi-formal to friendly register appropriate for writing to a friend, even while addressing a sensitive issue.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized and easy to follow. Ideas are presented in a clear sequence, beginning with the purpose of the letter, moving into the description and significance of the clock, and concluding with the desired action and polite sign-off. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the message. Cohesive devices such as 'Understandably', 'Whenever', and logical referencing ('the watch', 'It') are managed well. The progression of ideas flows smoothly without any noticeable disruption or awkward transitions, resulting in a cohesive piece of correspondence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited to the task. Phrases like 'express a serious concern', 'one of a kind', 'antique and historical watch', and 'bring back nostalgic memories' show good control over less common lexical items. However, there are a few minor vocabulary and collocation inaccuracies. For instance, you refer to the item as a 'wall clock' in the first paragraph but subsequently call it a 'watch' throughout the text. Additionally, 'memories attach with it' contains a slight grammatical and collocational slip, and 'bring the watch to its merchant' is slightly unnatural compared to 'take it to the dealer or horologist'. Despite these minor flaws, communication is never impeded.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ('which was gifted by my late father', 'which he bought from the Museum auction that got shut down last year'). There is a good level of control over punctuation and grammar, and many sentences are error-free. However, a few errors persist. For example, in the opening sentence, you wrote 'one of my valuable wall clock', which should be plural ('clocks') after 'one of my'. Another minor error is 'memories attach with it', which should be passive ('attached'). These errors are non-systematic and do not impede communication, allowing for a comfortable reading experience.

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

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