Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-14

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 are well. I'm writing this letter to ask about a resin art picture frame that has been found broken in my apartment. That was kept on the dining table.

I came back from my trip on Saturday night. The next morning I saw the broken frame. This painting was gifted by my sister when I was moving to canada.

She painted this image for me and it holds a special memory for me. It means a lot to me. When I saw it was broken I was very upset, although I read your apology note. I can understand mistakes can happen! I really appreciate that you confronted.

I wanted to request if you could find somebody who can fix broken resin arts that would be great. I tried to reach out to some people but I have't heard back from them.

Looking forward to your response!

Warm regards,

Tina.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: the frame is identified as a resin-art picture frame, you explain that your sister painted it as a gift when you moved to Canada, and you ask James to find someone who can repair it. The apology note and your understanding that accidents happen also make the letter appropriately considerate. Some details are less fully developed, however: the description of the damage is limited to saying the frame was broken, and the request could be clearer about whether you expect your friend to arrange or pay for the repair. To strengthen the response, describe what is damaged and state precisely what action you would like James to take. The purpose and tone are clear, with some room to develop the key details further.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter follows a sensible sequence: you introduce the problem, explain when you noticed it, describe its personal significance, and make a request. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages, and phrases such as “The next morning” and “When I saw it was broken” guide the reader through the events. Some connections are less smooth or precise. For example, “I’m writing this letter to ask about” does not clearly introduce the damage, and “I really appreciate that you confronted” leaves the reference incomplete. The short statements “It means a lot to me” and “I was very upset” repeat the emotional point rather than extending it. Use clearer links between the discovery, its significance, and your specific request, while keeping the current logical structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the situation and includes some specific expressions, such as “resin art picture frame,” “holds a special memory,” and “apology note.” These help communicate the object and your feelings. There are also attempts at less common wording, but some choices are inaccurate or unnatural: “resin arts” is not the natural plural here, and “I appreciate that you confronted” does not convey the intended meaning clearly. “Ask about” is also vague for introducing a broken item. Choose precise collocations and refer consistently to the object as a frame or artwork. Spelling and capitalisation need attention in “canada” and “have't”; these do not prevent understanding, but careful proofreading would make the letter more polished.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple sentences and more complex forms, including “When I saw it was broken, I was very upset, although I read your apology note.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and the sequence of past events is generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain. In “a resin art picture frame that has been found broken,” the passive construction is awkward for describing what you discovered; “I found that the frame was broken” would be clearer. “This painting was gifted by my sister when I was moving” also uses an unclear time relationship, and “I wanted to request if you could…” is not a well-formed request structure. The final clause “I appreciate that you confronted” is incomplete. Practise accurate request forms and check that each sentence has a complete, clearly connected clause.

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

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