Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-03

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 Riya,

It was great to hear from your brother that you want to study abroad! Since I just did mine recently, I would love to tell you about my experience and help you out.

I studied at the University of Toronto in Canada. Living there taught me a lot about the local culture, especially how friendly the people are and how they enjoy their daily life. My English also got a lot better because I used it every single day!

That year was really helpful for my university course. Studying my subjects in a different country taught me how to think differently and solve problems better. Plus, it gave me a lot of confidence for my degree and looks great on my CV.

Let me know if you want to grab a coffee soon. I can share some tips with you about applications and money!

Best,

Kishan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the location of study, cultural insights, and the academic benefits of the year abroad. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the ideas presented. While the tone is appropriate for a friendly letter, the development of the points is somewhat brief. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your experiences with more descriptive detail. For instance, instead of simply stating that the year was helpful, you could provide a specific example of a project or academic challenge you overcame. The under-length nature of the response prevents a higher score in this category.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear structure. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which makes the information easy to follow. You have used basic cohesive devices such as 'plus' and 'since' to link ideas. However, the transitions between sentences are somewhat simple. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to create a more sophisticated flow. The paragraphing is logical and appropriate for a letter format, and the opening and closing salutations are correctly placed.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and conveys your meaning clearly. You use some natural expressions like 'help you out' and 'grab a coffee'. However, the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited and relies on fairly common, everyday language. To achieve a higher band, you should incorporate more precise or academic vocabulary related to the context of university studies and cultural exchange. For example, instead of 'got a lot better', you could use 'improved significantly' or 'became more proficient'. The current vocabulary is functional but lacks the variety expected at higher levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

Your grammar is generally accurate, and your sentences are easy to understand. You have used a mix of simple and compound sentences effectively. There are no major errors that impede communication. However, the range of grammatical structures is somewhat limited; there is a lack of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses or passive voice, which would demonstrate a higher level of control. To improve, try to incorporate more varied sentence patterns, such as using relative clauses or more sophisticated conjunctions to connect your ideas more fluidly.

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

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