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 Rima,
As suggested by your brother, I am writing this letter to share my experience of studying abroad. I am your brother’s good friend, and it would be my pleasure to share my personal experience with you.
As part of an exchange student program, I came to the USA on a J-1 visa to study engineering. I would recommend that you pursue this route, as it is really helpful for your career. Not only did I have a great time learning and completing my course, but I also had the opportunity to learn about the country’s culture and make new friends. I learned practical ways of studying that I had not been exposed to before.
It helped me broaden my horizons and learn about different teaching styles used in universities. Additionally, I had the chance to explore new places, which made me more independent. The course that I took was divided into different modules, and I was comfortable completing it because of the teaching format they used. I would encourage you to take this route, as it would be really helpful not just for your studies but for your personal development as well.
Yours sincerely,
PK
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points. You clearly identify the location (USA), describe what you learned about the country (culture, teaching styles, and independence), and explain the benefits for your studies (practical study methods and personal development). The tone is appropriate for a friendly letter. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific details about the country's culture or the specific nature of the engineering modules, which would help to fully develop your ideas rather than keeping them somewhat general.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The letter is well-organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Ideas flow logically from one to the next. You use cohesive devices such as 'Additionally,' 'Not only... but also,' and 'As suggested by' effectively to link your thoughts. The paragraphing is logical, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the use of referencing is clear throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'broaden my horizons,' 'pursue this route,' and 'personal development' are used accurately and appropriately. While the vocabulary is functional and natural, it lacks a wider range of less common or more sophisticated collocations that would be expected at a higher band level. However, there are no errors in word choice that impede communication, and the tone remains consistently appropriate for the task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0
The writing displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'As suggested by your brother' and 'which made me more independent.' The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The control over complex structures is consistent, and the majority of your sentences are error-free, which indicates a strong command of grammatical forms suitable for this task.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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