Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-20
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 Cousin,
I hope you are doing well. I'm really happy that you're coming to stay with me! Since you will be arriving in the morning while I am still at work, I have made some arrangements so that you can get into the house easily.
Since I will be at the work when you will reach home to get you the keys I have talked with my neighbor and informed her that my cousin will be here tomorrow in the morning for keys, so I have given her a spare key of our home you can collect it from her.
There will be no public transport on the day you arrive as it is a National holiday so once you get off from the train station I would suggest you book an ride online to my house.
I have prepared rice and pasta, you can find it in the fridge, once you get in the house. I will be home by the evening. I have made a reservation in an Italian restaurant for our dining.
I am excited to see you. We will be doing fun activities until your stay at my home, see you soon.
Best Wishes,
Nand Patel
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| 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 arrangement with the neighbor, provided instructions regarding the lack of public transport and the need for a ride, and specified your arrival time along with a suggestion for the evening. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a cousin. To reach a higher band, ensure that your explanations are slightly more detailed; for example, you could have provided the neighbor's house number or a specific name for the Italian restaurant to make the letter feel more authentic and fully developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your ideas easily. You use some cohesive devices like 'Since' and 'once', though the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'in addition'). The paragraphing is appropriate for a letter format. To improve, ensure that the transition between the key arrangement and the transport instructions is smoother, as the current shift feels slightly abrupt.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'made a reservation' and 'prepared rice and pasta' are natural and appropriate. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'at the work' (should be 'at work') and 'book an ride' (should be 'book a ride'). To move into the higher bands, try to incorporate more precise collocations or slightly more sophisticated vocabulary, such as 'alternative transport' instead of 'public transport' or 'conveniently located' when describing the house access.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For instance, 'when you will reach home' should be 'when you reach home' (avoiding future tense in time clauses), and 'a spare key of our home' is better phrased as 'a spare key to our home'. Additionally, there are some punctuation issues, such as missing commas in complex sentences. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will help you achieve a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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