Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-26

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 James,

I hope you and your family are doing well. I am writing to express my feelings regarding the Violin which has broke by you.

I am really happy that you have kept my place intact while your stay but there is I wanted to talk about is the violin. I found a sring broken upon my arrival and I got deeply hurt becuase it has my sentiment connected.

It was given by my sister who got passed away last year due to cancer and this was the only gift which was connecting us. I am feeling extremely stressed and awful due to this inciedent.

Now, I believe that you might have broke it accidently. So, I request you to get it fixed and not by another one. I know a place where you could get it fixed on a minimal cost or you could send me the cost of fixing it and I will send you the bill.

I hope you can understand me. I will look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best,

Jack

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The writer successfully covers all three bullet points required in the task prompt. First, the broken possession is clearly described as a violin with a broken string. Second, the emotional importance is explained well, noting that it was a gift from a deceased sister. Third, the required action is clearly stated, asking the friend to get it repaired rather than replaced. The tone is appropriate for writing to a friend, maintaining a polite yet concerned stance regarding the delicate situation. All parts of the prompt are addressed well, and the purpose of the letter is fully clear throughout the response, earning a solid Band 7.0 for Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear beginning, middle, and end, following standard informal letter conventions. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different points, such as the description of the item, its emotional value, and the proposed solution. Cohesive devices are generally used effectively, such as 'Now, I believe' and 'So, I request you'. However, there are minor cohesive lapses and slightly abrupt transitions between ideas, such as moving from the greeting directly into the issue. Overall, the logical progression is clear and easy to follow, making this a strong Band 7.0 performance for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for an informal letter, using appropriate phrases such as 'express my feelings', 'kept my place intact', and 'extremely stressed and awful'. However, there are several noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'has broke by you' (instead of 'broken by you'), 'sring' (string), and 'inciedent' (incident). Furthermore, the phrase 'got passed away' should be 'passed away'. While these errors do not impede communication and the writer attempts some less common vocabulary, the frequency of slips keeps the score at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar with structures like 'I am really happy that you have kept...' and 'I request you to get it fixed...'. However, there are several persistent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include passive voice misuse ('has broke by you'), spelling errors ('becuase', 'accidently'), and tense/verb form inaccuracies ('which was connecting us' instead of 'that connected us'). These errors occur frequently enough to prevent the score from reaching a higher band, but since they do not impede overall comprehension, a Band 6.0 is well-deserved.

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

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