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 the 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 a 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.
It helped me to get an in-depth insights about my academic subject which could never be gained from the books alone. It not only helped me to get hands-on confidence but also made me more independent.
I hope you'd find the information helpful, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
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 letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identify the location (University of Toronto, Canada), describe your cultural learning (traditions, cuisine, and daily life), and explain the academic benefits (critical thinking, decision-making, and hands-on confidence). The tone is appropriate for a friendly letter, and the purpose is clear throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of how the year abroad helped your studies is slightly more specific, perhaps by linking it to a particular aspect of your university course.
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 aids readability. You use cohesive devices such as 'Beyond improving...', 'It not only... but also...', and 'I hope you'd find...' effectively to connect your ideas. The progression of information is smooth and easy to follow. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter format, and referencing is clear throughout the text. The overall structure is coherent and well-managed.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using phrases like 'cherish my time', 'language fluency', 'deep appreciation', and 'hands-on confidence'. The word choice is generally natural and appropriate for the context. There is a minor error in the phrase 'get an in-depth insights', where the article 'an' should not be used with the plural noun 'insights'. However, this does not impede communication. You show an ability to use less common lexical items, which contributes to a positive impression of your language proficiency.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. For example, the use of 'as it sharpened my critical thinking...' shows good control of complex sentences. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate. There is a minor grammatical slip in 'get an in-depth insights', but your control over verb tenses and sentence construction is strong. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a good command of English grammar, with only very occasional minor slips that do not affect the clarity of your message.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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