Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-27

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 friend,

I know that I've let you stay in my apartment when I was gone, but I've noticed that something valuable was broken when I arrived. It was a vase that is very valuable for me, it has some sentimental value. It was placed in the middle of the dining table and I don't know how it got broken. I reminded you multiple times that you should take care of my things while I am gone.

I know for you that it's just a vase, but for me it's very important and valuable. It was given to me from someone I'd never forget, someone who's very special to me. It looks like it doesn't cost much but the memories, the person who gave it to me can't compare to any amount of money.

If possible, I would like you to explain on what happened, and atleast ask for some forgiveness even if it won't change anything and it won't turn back what happened. You should atleast told me sooner about this incident. I'll be waiting for your response and explanation. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Aaron

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three required points: you identify the broken vase, explain its sentimental importance, and ask your friend to explain what happened and apologise. The detail that it was given by someone “very special to me” makes the reason for its value clear. Your request is also understandable, especially in “I would like you to explain what happened.” However, the desired action could be more fully developed: it is unclear whether you expect your friend to pay for a repair or replacement, or simply acknowledge the damage. The opening also sounds somewhat accusatory before you have established what happened. A more balanced tone and a specific, considerate request would make the letter more complete and effective.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The ideas are arranged in a sensible sequence: you introduce the damage, explain the vase’s personal significance, and then state what you want your friend to do. Separate paragraphs help the reader follow these stages, and the contrast between “for you” and “for me” supports your explanation. Some links are less smooth, however. The first paragraph moves quickly from discovering the vase was broken to reminding your friend to take care of your belongings, which makes the accusation feel abrupt. The final paragraph also combines several requests and reflections in one long sentence. Use clearer transitions and separate the explanation, apology, and any practical request so that each point is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the situation and its emotional importance, including “sentimental value,” “memories,” and “incident.” These choices help convey that the vase matters for reasons beyond its price. However, some wording is repetitive or imprecise: “valuable” appears several times, and “someone I’d never forget” is less natural than a phrase such as “someone I will always remember.” There are also awkward collocations, including “explain on what happened” and “ask for some forgiveness.” These do not prevent understanding, but they limit the naturalness and precision of the letter. Aim for more varied wording and familiar collocations when describing the damage and making your request.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, such as “It looks like it doesn’t cost much but the memories…” and the sentence explaining who gave you the vase. The overall meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors are noticeable. For example, “It was a vase that is very valuable for me, it has…” joins two complete clauses with a comma; these should be separated or linked with a conjunction. In “You should atleast told me,” the verb form should be “should have told me.” The phrase “when I am gone” also shifts tense from the past situation, and “given to me from” has an incorrect preposition pattern. Review clause boundaries, modal verb forms, and tense consistency to improve accuracy.

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

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