Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-09

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 Smith,

I hope this letter finds you well.

Yesterday, I returned from my trip and became extremely upset when I found that one of my rolex watches was broken.

I warned you several times before leaving to not use any of my watches. You have no clue about how hard I've worked to get Rolex GMT. There is a deep crack on the dial, which can not be repaired. Today, I specially visited a Rolex store and requested them to repair the dial but they informed me that this cannot be repaired. I purchased it for £34000 and if I resale it today, I'll only get £10000.

I saved every single penny to buy this watch and honestly, I can not bear such a huge loss. I humbly request you to pay me £24000 so that I can buy a new watch. If you'll refuse, I will be forced to sue you in the court. I've discussed the case with my lawyer and trust me you if I go to the court, there will be no escape route for you.

I look forward to a prompt response.

Kind regards,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three required points: you identify the damaged Rolex GMT and its cracked dial, explain that you saved carefully to buy it, and request £24,000. The explanation of its financial value is specific, and your position is clear throughout. However, the personal importance is developed mainly through the money and effort involved; a brief detail about why this particular watch matters to you would make that point more fully developed. The request is also framed as a demand backed by legal threats, which may not suit a letter to a friend and makes the desired outcome less constructive. A clear request to discuss compensation or arrange payment would strengthen the response while retaining your firm position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear progression: you introduce the discovery, describe the damage and its value, explain your feelings, and state what you want your friend to do. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and phrases such as “Today” and “I look forward to a prompt response” help guide the reader. The main weakness is that the transition from the compensation request to the threat of legal action is abrupt, and the repeated emphasis on the loss and consequences makes the ending feel forceful rather than smoothly developed. You could connect these ideas more naturally by first inviting your friend to discuss how to resolve the matter, then explaining what you may do if no agreement is reached.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate the situation precisely, including “deep crack,” “purchased,” “resale,” and “huge loss.” The specific references to the watch and its value make the letter easy to understand. Some choices are less natural or less appropriate for the relationship and context: “one of my rolex watches” is imprecise when you later identify a particular model, while “no escape route” sounds unusually dramatic in this letter. “Humbly request” also clashes with the direct demand that follows. More natural, measured wording would help you show greater control of tone and collocation while preserving the seriousness of the issue.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, and many sentences are clear and accurate, such as “I saved every single penny to buy this watch.” The conditional sentence about resale value also communicates the financial consequence effectively. Some errors remain in verb forms and sentence construction: “I warned you several times before leaving to not use” is less well formed than “I warned you several times not to use,” and “If you'll refuse” should use a present form after “if,” such as “If you refuse.” In “trust me you if I go,” the word order is faulty. These issues do not prevent understanding, but proofreading conditional clauses and sentence patterns would improve control.

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.