Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-10

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Adopting a hobby has become a crucial aspect among people of all ages. In my opinion, this is a highly positive trend that brings long-term benefits for both individuals as well as society.

One major benefit of having at least one hobby is its positive impact on overall health. A hobby not only reduces the risk of mental issues such as loneliness, anxiety and depression but also helps people maintain their fitness and live a healthy life. This is particularly important today when many jobs require long hours of sitting with minimal movement due to technology.

Having a hobby also provides valuable social advantages. It brings people together, providing opportunities for interaction, and helps build long-lasting friendships. For instance, many young adults go outside of their houses for swimming, cycling and reading books in a library. Such opportunities create a sense of belonging as people meet new people and make good friends. Consequently, people learn how to interact and build a good relationship with each other.

Additionally, having a hobby provides essential skills for individuals, especially for teenagers. For example, youngsters often like to have a unique hobby such as singing, playing games and painting which involves other peers. By performing in groups they often learn team spirit, kindness, patience and cooperation skills that further help them in building a well-rounded personality.

In conclusion, a hobby improves health, strengthens social relationships and fosters personal growth. A good habit is worthwhile because it offers long-lasting advantages for both individuals and the community.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt effectively by discussing the benefits of hobbies. You have a clear position and provide relevant supporting ideas in each paragraph, such as health benefits, social advantages, and skill development. However, the task is a General Training Task 1, which typically requires a letter format (e.g., formal, semi-formal, or informal). You have written an essay instead of a letter. This is a significant issue regarding task type. While the content is well-developed, the failure to follow the required format (letter) means the response does not fully address the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'One major benefit', 'Having a hobby also', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. Referencing is generally clear, and the structure of the argument is sound. To reach a higher band, ensure that the transition between sentences is even more varied, as some of the linking phrases are quite standard.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. Phrases like 'well-rounded personality', 'fosters personal growth', and 'sense of belonging' are used appropriately. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'adopting a hobby' (usually 'taking up a hobby') and 'go outside of their houses for swimming' (which is slightly unnatural). However, the vocabulary is adequate for the task, and your meaning is always clear. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and idiomatic expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally good. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'individuals as well as society' (which should be 'individuals as well as for society' to maintain parallel structure) and 'meet new people and make good friends' (which is slightly repetitive). Punctuation is generally accurate. The grammatical control is strong enough to ensure that communication is never impeded.

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

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