Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-30
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)
Hello Sarah,
I hope you're doing well. I'm excited to have you stay with me next week. Unfortunately, I won't be home when your train arrives in the morning because I will be in the office until the evening.
To make things easier, I've left spare keys with my neighbour, Mr. Khan, who lives in the apartment next door. Once you arrive, ring her doorbell and mention that you're my cousin. He will give you the keys, so you can let yourself in and make yourself comfortable until I get home.
As for getting here from the station, you need to take a taxi, which should take around 15 minutes. Once you leave the station, take the main road and continue straight until you reach a supermarket. My apartment building is directly opposite it. I'll also send you my exact location on your phone so you won't have any trouble finding the place.
I should be home by around 6:30 p.m. In the evening, we could have dinner together at a nearby restaurant and then take a walk around the neighbourhood. I'm sure we'll have plenty to catch up on!
See you soon.
Best wishes,
Bhawna
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The response fully covers all three bullet points required in the prompt. First, the writer clearly explains the arrangements for getting the house keys by stating they are left with the neighbour, Mr. Khan. Second, clear and practical directions are given from the train station to the house, including taking a taxi and referencing a supermarket landmark. Third, the arrival time (6:30 p.m.) is specified, and a logical, engaging suggestion is made to have dinner together and take a walk. The tone is completely appropriate for writing to a family member, and all ideas are well-developed and relevant. This meets the criteria for a high band.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas from greeting to key arrangements, directions, evening plans, and closing. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose corresponding to the prompt requirements. Cohesive devices such as 'To make things easier', 'Once you arrive', and 'As for getting here' are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the text. Paragraphing is used appropriately and supports the overall structure of a friendly letter.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The vocabulary used is natural, fluent, and appropriate for a personal message. The student demonstrates a good range of vocabulary with phrases like 'make yourself comfortable', 'directly opposite', and 'plenty to catch up on'. There is a minor slip with pronoun agreement in the second paragraph ('neighbour, Mr. Khan... ring her doorbell... He will give you'), but this does not impede communication. Overall, the lexical control is solid and reflects a comfortable command of everyday English suitable for this task type.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
The response features a very good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional and temporal clauses ('Once you leave the station, take the main road...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled well throughout. There are occasional minor lapses, such as the pronoun mismatch noted in the second paragraph ('Mr. Khan... ring her doorbell... He will give you'), but these are rare non-systematic errors that do not affect overall clarity or fluency. The grammatical control is strong.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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