Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-04

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 Sarah,

Hope you are doing well. I am writing becaause I noticed that one of my valuable possesion was damaged while I was away from my place.

When I returned from my trip I found that my Digital Camera was broken. The lens was badly damaged and camera no longer switches on. I was quite surprised to see it in this condition because I had left my camera safety on the shelf in my bedroom.

That camera was near to my heart, it was gufted by parents on my graduation day. I captured a lot of memories in it with my family members or friends. Although I cannot recover those memories, I need my camera with me in future as a valuable gift.

Therefore, I would appreciate it if you could take it to repair shop and cover the total repair costs. Alternatively, if you cannot cover the cost of camera, we will discuss some another solution.

Hope you will understand.

Best wishes,

Harman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt in a clear and appropriate semi-formal tone. You clearly describe the broken possession as a Digital Camera with a damaged lens, explain its high personal importance because it was a graduation gift from your parents filled with memories, and clearly state what you would like your friend to do regarding repairs or discussing an alternative solution. All bullet points are fully covered, and the purpose of the letter is evident throughout. To move towards higher bands, the supporting details and explanations could be extended even further with more nuanced elaboration on the emotional value and the proposed resolution.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter maintains a clear logical organisation and progression from the opening greeting through the description, explanation of importance, and proposed solutions, down to the sign-off. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate each main idea, such as the discovery of the damage, the sentimental value, and the request for action. Cohesive devices like 'Although', 'Therefore', and 'Alternatively' are used to connect ideas, though paragraphing and transitions could be slightly more refined for absolute fluency. Overall, the flow of information is natural and guides the reader easily through the narrative.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, successfully conveying your message, but it contains some noticeable spelling and word choice errors. For instance, 'becaause' and 'gufted' are spelling slips, while 'possesion' is misspelled and singular when a plural is needed ('possessions'). Phrases like 'repair shop' missing an article ('a repair shop') and 'near to my heart' are slightly unnatural compared to 'close to my heart'. To improve, you should aim to use a wider range of less common lexical items with greater precision and check your spelling carefully before finalising your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like subordinate clauses introduced by 'because' and 'although'. There are some grammatical errors and punctuation issues present, such as 'camera no longer switches on' missing the article 'the', 'left my camera safety on the shelf' using the noun 'safety' instead of the adverb 'safely', and double spaces between sentences. However, these errors are relatively minor and rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to understand your message without difficulty. To achieve higher bands, you should aim for a greater variety of error-free complex structures and tighter control over articles and modifiers.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.