Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-07
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 Swetha,
I hope you're doing well! Firstly, Congratulations on getting admission in a university that you always wanted to do your masters. I did my masters in computer science, which is really fun and interesting to learn.
I went to Trent University in Ontario, Canada. I completed my masters course in here and the university provided housing throughout the year for a little fee.
People in Canada are friendly and the country is vibrent. I learned a lot after moving here, mainly rules everyone here follows the rules and they respect each profession and it's a fast moving place in future.
During my studies, I used to have theriotical as well as hands on experience on the same day. which helped me understand easily and clearly. The course I took is helpful for my dream job as an Information Technology (IT) technician.
I hope you will have an amazing year ahead in University. I wish you a safe journey to abroad.
Yours truly,
Mallareddy
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The letter covers all three bullet points: the location (Trent University, Canada), observations about the country (friendly people, respect for professions), and the academic benefits (theoretical and hands-on experience). However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of why the year was helpful for studies is brief and could be expanded with more specific examples of how the hands-on experience prepared you for your career. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's sister, though the opening is slightly disjointed regarding the purpose of the letter.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. There is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. For example, the transition between the description of the country and the academic experience is abrupt. Some sentences are short and choppy, which affects the flow. Improving the use of linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'in addition' would help to create a more natural and sophisticated connection between ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be conveyed clearly. There are some spelling errors, such as 'vibrent' (vibrant) and 'theriotical' (theoretical), which slightly detract from the quality. The range of vocabulary is somewhat basic, relying on common words like 'fun', 'interesting', and 'helpful'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise and varied vocabulary, such as 'invaluable', 'culturally enriching', or 'practical application', to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For example, 'getting admission in a university' should be 'getting admission to a university', and 'I completed my masters course in here' is redundant. Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as the sentence fragment 'which helped me understand easily and clearly' following a period. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence boundary punctuation will improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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