Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-25

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 Aunty,

I am delighted that you are coming to my home upcoming evening. I am so sorry that I will not be at home at that time because I have my dance classes session, but you don't have to worry about anything as I handed our home keys to my neighbour and as you reach their just knock the next door and someone will be there to handover the keys.

My brother will be at the arrivals at the station to pick you up so do not stress because I know you are afraid to travel alone in the big city that's why I have planned everything.

I will be at home around 8 PM and then we will be going for a dinner at old spot for your special menu choices. I booked the table prior as you know that it is too busy on weekends and on special occasion.

I can't wait to see you and hug you.

Lot's of Love

Anjali

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the key arrangements involving your neighbour, provided instructions regarding your brother meeting her at the station, and specified your arrival time along with a suggestion for dinner. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a family member. To reach a higher band, ensure that the instructions for getting from the station to your house are more explicit, as you currently rely on your brother to pick her up rather than providing directions as requested by the prompt. Overall, the task is fulfilled effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the arrival arrangements to the meeting plan and finally the evening activities. Paragraphing is used, though the indentation is slightly inconsistent. You use some cohesive devices such as 'as you reach', 'that's why', and 'and then', which help the flow. However, the connection between sentences could be smoother; some transitions feel a bit mechanical. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph focuses clearly on one aspect of the task to enhance the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, such as 'delighted', 'handover', and 'special menu choices'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'dance classes session' (should be 'dance class') and 'at the arrivals' (should be 'at the arrivals hall' or simply 'at the station'). Additionally, 'booked the table prior' is slightly unnatural; 'booked the table in advance' would be more idiomatic. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating more precise collocations would elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'as you reach their' (should be 'there'), 'I have my dance classes session' (should be 'I have a dance class'), and 'on special occasion' (should be 'on special occasions'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some run-on sentences that could be improved by using full stops or semicolons to separate distinct ideas. Increasing your control over articles and pluralization will help reduce these frequent, though non-impeding, errors.

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

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