Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-09
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 7.5)
Dear Pawan,
I hope this letter finds you well. I'm excited to know that you are interested in a year abroad for your university course!
I still cherish my time living in Canada last year, and I am more than happy to share my experience with you. Living in Toronto, Canada and studying at University of Toronto taught me so much about Canadian culture and daily life.
Beyond improving my language fluency, I gained a deep appreciation for their traditions, culture and cuisine. Living in different education environment was incredibly helpful in my academic studies as it sharpened my critical thinking and decision-making skills, which helped develop my personality.
I believe it helped me a lot to get valuable details about my subject which couldn't be gained from the books alone. It not only helped me to get hands-on experience but also made me more independent.
I hope you'd find the information helpful, and feel free to reach out if you have any doubts.
Best wishes,
Rashpal
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identified the location (Toronto, Canada), described your cultural learning (traditions, cuisine, and daily life), and explained the academic benefits (critical thinking, decision-making, and hands-on experience). The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend's sister, maintaining a friendly and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, providing a clear picture of your experience. To reach a higher band, you could provide even more specific examples of the 'hands-on experience' mentioned to further illustrate the academic value.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your ideas easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Beyond improving...', 'It not only... but also...', and 'I believe...' to link your thoughts effectively. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal-informal letter. The use of referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for this task. Phrases like 'cherish my time', 'language fluency', and 'hands-on experience' are used naturally and accurately. There is a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your meaning with precision. While the vocabulary is effective, it is generally standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common idiomatic expressions that fit the context of studying abroad, such as 'broadened my horizons' or 'gained invaluable insights'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The letter displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use relative clauses ('which couldn't be gained...') and compound-complex sentences effectively. Grammar is generally accurate, and punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of the text. There are very few errors, and those present do not impede communication. For instance, 'Living in different education environment' is slightly awkward; it would be more natural to say 'a different educational environment'. Overall, the control of grammar is strong, with most sentences being error-free.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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