Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-17

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 6.0)

Dear Joey,

Hopefully, you and your family are in great spirits! I'm so sorry for not being at home lately, but I wanted to make up for it now by writing you this letter.

I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I bought a new MacBook Pro last month. Hence, I was not here at the apartment, I packed it and kept on the table near couch. However, when I came back home and checked it, the MacBook was lying down under the couch and the display was not in working condition.

To be honest, I have a deadline for a project submission next week. Plus, I have all the important files in my laptop.

Anyways, as I'm not available this week, I would suggest you to take the product to the service centre for repair or replacement as the product is still in warranty.

Give my love to your family. Do get back to me whenever you get a chance. Can't wait to see you soon!

Best,

Anshu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter covers all three required points: you identify the MacBook and its damaged display, explain that it contains important project files and is needed for a deadline, and ask Joey to take it to a service centre. The friendly opening and closing also suit the relationship. However, the explanation of why the laptop matters is brief, and the account of how it was damaged is unclear: you say you packed it and left it on a table, then found it under the couch, without explaining what may have happened. The request could also be more specific about how Joey should handle repair costs or keep you informed. Developing these details would make the purpose and requested action more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information is arranged in a sensible sequence: greeting, explanation of the laptop’s condition, its importance, and a request for help, followed by an appropriate sign-off. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and links such as “However” and “Plus” make the progression easy to follow. The organisation is generally clear, though some connections are mechanical or imprecise. For example, “Hence” does not clearly link the fact that you were away with leaving the laptop on the table, and “Anyways” is a rather casual transition into the request. The reference to being unavailable “this week” also sits awkwardly beside the earlier deadline next week. Clearer links between events and a more direct transition to the request would strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a personal letter, including relevant terms such as “display,” “deadline,” “files,” “service centre,” and “warranty.” The tone is friendly and mostly appropriate. Some choices, however, are imprecise or unnatural: “the display was not in working condition” is wordy, while “take the product” sounds impersonal for a laptop belonging to a friend. “Kept on the table near couch” also lacks natural phrasing, and “in great spirits” is more formal than the rest of the letter. These choices do not prevent understanding, but more precise collocations and consistent register would improve control. Aim to describe the damage and the requested repair in natural, specific language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes a mix of simple and more complex forms, such as “I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before” and the clause beginning “as I'm not available this week.” Most meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors occur. In “Hence, I was not here at the apartment, I packed it,” two independent clauses are joined incorrectly, and the relationship between them is unclear. “Near couch” needs an article or determiner, while “I would suggest you to take” uses an incorrect verb pattern; write “I would suggest that you take” or “I would like you to take.” The sentence about the laptop being “lying down under the couch” also needs a more suitable grammatical construction. More accurate clause linking and verb patterns would improve reliability.

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

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