Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-22

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 7.5)

Dear Rebeca,

Hope you are doing well. I received your letter last week regarding your arrival and I was really excited to meet you on the morning of July 5th. I hope you have a safe journey. Unfortunately I would not be able to stay home in the morning as I will be at work from 5 am to 6 pm on July 5th.

However, I have made all arrangements for you so that you can access the house and take rest as you might be exhausted after the overnight train journey. The key will be located inside the key lock box hanging on the metal ring at the entrance. Please use the pin 5320 to unlock the lock box.

Please treat yourself with your favourite sweets once you are inside the house. I already made them for you and they will be on top of the dining table.

I would suggest taking a taxi from the station to my house as this is the most convenient medium to reach our address from the station. The local bus could be really hectic as they face heavy traffic along their route. I will be home around 6.30 and ha a plan to visit a local restaurant together. We will have a great time that evening as the restaurant is offering live music.

I hope you have a good rest of the day. Cannot wait to see you soon.

Yours,

Mike Tyson

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The student has successfully covered all three bullet points required in the prompt. First, the arrangements for accessing the house are clearly explained, mentioning the key lock box and the specific pin code ('5320'). Second, directions from the train station are provided, including the suggestion to take a taxi to avoid heavy traffic on local bus routes. Finally, the student specifies their return time ('around 6.30') and suggests an evening activity, proposing to visit a local restaurant with live music. The tone is entirely appropriate for a letter to a family member, and all ideas are well-developed and relevant. The response meets all task requirements thoroughly, earning a solid Band 8.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized and easy to follow. Ideas are structured in a natural progression, moving from the greeting and explanation of absence to house access details, travel advice, and finally evening plans. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as the logistics of entering the house and the transportation suggestions. Cohesive devices are managed well, using appropriate connectors and referencing words like 'However', 'Please use the pin', and 'this is the most convenient medium'. Although cohesion is generally smooth, it occasionally lacks the subtle sophistication required for the highest band levels, placing it comfortably at Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for a general correspondence task. Phrases such as 'overnight train journey', 'exhausted', and 'convenient medium' show good control. However, there are a few minor collocation and word choice inaccuracies, such as 'treat yourself with your favourite sweets' (instead of 'treat yourself to') and 'ha a plan' (a typographical error). Despite these occasional slips, the vocabulary is varied enough to convey precise meanings regarding the lock box, traffic conditions, and restaurant plans, easily satisfying the criteria for a Band 6.5 or 7.0. We award Band 7.0 for the effective and natural deployment of everyday phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writer employs a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and time clauses such as 'so that you can access the house' and 'as you might be exhausted after the overnight train journey'. There is a high proportion of error-free sentences throughout the text. Grammar and punctuation are generally well controlled, with only a minor typographical omission ('ha a plan' instead of 'have a plan') and a slight modal inconsistency ('Unfortunately I would not be able' rather than 'will not be able'). These rare slips do not impede communication, demonstrating the strong control characteristic of Band 7.0 or 8.0 descriptors.

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

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