Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Aman,

I hope you are doing well and that you had a comfortable stay at my place whil i was away. It was great being able to help you out with a place to stay!

I am writing because, after getting back yesterday, i noticed that my espresso machine on the kitchen counter has a cracked water reservoir and the steam wand is completely loose. It looks like it might have taken a heavy fall or been knocked over against the granite countertop.

This machine means a lot to me because it was a graduation gift from my family when i finished my degree. Moreover, i rely on it every morning for my dail coffee before heading out to work.

I would really appreciate it if you could help cover the repair cost or let me know if you can assist in getting it fixed.

Let me know what works best for you.

warmly,

Kirandeep Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter addresses all three points clearly: you identify the espresso machine and its damage, explain its sentimental value as a graduation gift and its practical daily use, and ask Aman to help with the repair cost or arrange a fix. The request is tactful and appropriate for a friend, while the opening and closing maintain a suitable personal tone. The explanation that the machine may have fallen or been knocked over adds context, although it remains speculative; you could make the request more specific by asking your friend to discuss the repair estimate or reimburse an agreed amount. Overall, the purpose is clear and the key ideas are supported, with only modest room to develop the requested action further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The information follows a clear, useful sequence: friendly opening, description of the damage, explanation of the machine’s importance, and a request for help. Separate paragraphs make each purpose easy to identify, and linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “because” show how the ideas relate. The progression is logical and the letter is easy to follow. To make cohesion even more natural, you could connect the damage and request more explicitly—for example, refer to the repair estimate before asking Aman to contribute. The closing “Let me know what works best for you” also provides a smooth transition to the sign-off, though consistent capitalization in the greeting and closing would improve presentation.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for a personal letter, including precise item-related terms such as “water reservoir,” “steam wand,” and “granite countertop.” Phrases like “graduation gift” and “cover the repair cost” communicate the sentimental and practical points effectively, and the tone is generally natural. A few choices could be more idiomatic or precise: “comfortable stay at my place” is understandable but slightly formal, while “dail coffee” appears to be a spelling or typing slip for “daily coffee.” “Taken a heavy fall” is also less natural than “fallen from the counter” in this context. Greater consistency in spelling and more natural collocations would strengthen the overall control of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The letter includes a useful mix of sentence forms, including the complex opening clause “after getting back yesterday” and the conditional request “if you could help cover the repair cost.” Most sentences are clear and well controlled, and the damage is described with accurate present-tense forms. A few errors remain in capitalization: “i” should be “I” in several places, and “warmly” should begin with a capital letter after the paragraph break. The phrase “It looks like it might have taken a heavy fall” also has an unclear grammatical subject, since the machine rather than the fall appears to have fallen. Revising this to “It looks as though it may have fallen” would improve clarity while preserving the range of structures.

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