Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-02

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The younger sister of one of your friends is thinking about spending a year studying abroad as part of her university course. You did this recently, and she has asked you about your experience.

Write a letter to your friend's sister. In your letter

• tell her where you studied during your year abroad

• describe what you learnt about the country you studied in

• explain why your year abroad was helpful for your studies

Begin your letter as follows:
Dear........,

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Dear Jyoti,

I heard from your brother that you are thinking about spending a year abroad as part pf your course that's so excited! Since I did exactly this last year, I thought I would share a bit of experience in case it helps you decide.

I spent my year study in Yorkville University, in Spain.

I was there for two semesters, taking a mix of business modules and Spanish language classes alongside local and other international students.

living there taught me so much about Spanish culture that I never picked up from my texted books things like how central family and long, relaxed mealtimes are to daily life, how much later everything runs compared to back home. i also learned a lot about country's history.

studying in a different system pushed me to think about my subject from a completely different angle.

honestly, it was one of the best decisions I made

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt: you mentioned the location (Spain), described cultural learnings, and explained the academic benefits. However, the development of these points is quite thin. For example, the explanation of why the year was helpful for your studies is limited to a single sentence about thinking from a 'different angle.' To achieve a higher band, you should expand on these ideas with more specific details or examples. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, but the overall brevity makes the response feel slightly underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical sequence, moving from the introduction to the specific requirements of the prompt. However, the paragraphing is inconsistent; the body of the letter is essentially one large block of text, which makes it harder to read. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Since' and 'also,' the flow between sentences is sometimes abrupt. Improving your use of linking words and ensuring clear paragraph breaks between the different points would significantly enhance the readability and structure of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your experience clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'modules,' 'international students,' and 'system.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor errors such as 'texted books' (textbooks) and 'pf' (of). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise or descriptive language to convey your experiences, such as using 'immersion' instead of 'living there' or 'academic perspective' instead of 'angle.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'that's so excited' (should be 'exciting'), 'year study' (should be 'year studying'), and 'about country's history' (missing an article). Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as missing capital letters at the start of sentences and run-on sentences. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall accuracy of your writing.

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

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