Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-08
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
A family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the morning, but you won’t be home until the evening.
explain arrangements you have made for them to have keys and get into the house
tell your relative how to get from the train station to your house
say when you will be home and suggest what you could do together that evening
Student answer (Band 6.5)
Dear Aunt,
How are you doing? I am writing this letter to inform you that I will not be there when your train will be landing this morning as promised. I would be arriving home in the evening due to an added task I was giving at the office.
I dropped the keys to my apartment with neighbor, Mr Yestew this morning. He is the one you spoke to last Sunday in the afternoon. When I informed him that you will be arriving today, he was so happy and said he will be glad to meet you.
Aunt, the train station is very close to my house. Once you come out from the train, you will see numbers of shuttle bus in garage. Walk down to them and tell one of them you are going 207 wesley road, flat 2. Once you arrive there you will definitely see my neighbor shop in front of the flat.
I would be home before 7pm unfailingly because I cannot wait to see you and most especially to visit the mall together. You remember the one I showed you on the phone last time we talked
I wish you a safe trip.
Your niece,
estidt.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the key arrangements with the neighbor, provided specific directions from the station, and stated your arrival time while suggesting an activity. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a family member. To improve, ensure that your explanations are slightly more precise; for instance, when mentioning the 'shuttle bus in garage', it is unclear if you mean a bus station or a specific parking area. Overall, the task is fully covered and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task, which helps the reader follow your instructions easily. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Once you come out' and 'Once you arrive there', to link your sentences. However, the transition between the arrival instructions and the evening plans could be smoother. Additionally, some paragraphing is a bit fragmented; grouping the directions into a single, cohesive paragraph would improve the flow. Overall, the structure is clear and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'unfailingly' and 'added task' are used effectively. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'train will be landing' (trains arrive, planes land) and 'numbers of shuttle bus' (a number of shuttle buses). You also use 'neighbor shop' instead of 'neighbor's shop'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the vocabulary from reaching a higher band. Focusing on natural collocations will help you improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I was giving' (should be 'I was given'), 'neighbor, Mr Yestew' (missing 'my'), and 'tell one of them' (should be 'tell one of the drivers'). Additionally, there are some punctuation issues, such as missing commas after introductory phrases. While these errors are noticeable, they do not cause difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher band, you should aim for more error-free sentences and pay closer attention to verb tenses and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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