Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-09

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 6.5)

Dear Puncha,

Hope this letter finds you well.

I wanted to tell you more about student exchange programs as you are thinking to register for one in Canada.

I went to Saga University SPACE-E student exchange program in Japan in 2019. There, I studied geology and Japanese for 1 year. I also did my final year research with professor Kakubuchi, a volcanic petrology expertise.

It was a pleasent experience which I cherish. I met many international friends and we learnt not only the language but also the culture. It was very different experience for me when we compare to Sri Lankan culture.

Since I did my final year research there with my professor, I got the opportunity to work in very advance labs and use the newest technological instruments like ICP-MS. When I was applying for higher studies, it came out as a huge advantage for me.

So, I believe this chance would be very helpful for your academics. Don't miss out!

Best wishes,

Vidushi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three requested points and maintains a clear, friendly purpose. You identify Saga University in Japan and explain that you studied geology and Japanese, then describe meeting international friends and learning about Japanese language and culture. The strongest development is the explanation of academic benefit: your final-year research gave you access to advanced laboratories and instruments, which helped when applying for further study. This relevant example supports your advice to Puncha. Some details remain broad, particularly what you learnt about the country; the comparison with Sri Lankan culture is mentioned but not explained. A specific observation about Japanese customs, university life, or daily routines would extend this point and make the response more fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information is arranged in a clear sequence: you introduce the exchange, describe your experience, explain its academic value, and finish with encouragement. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages, and phrases such as “Since I did my final year research there” make the link between your experience and its benefit clear. The letter also has an appropriate greeting and sign-off. However, some connections are quite basic, and “It was a very different experience for me when we compare to Sri Lankan culture” is an awkward transition that leaves the comparison unclear. Use more precise linking and reference, and connect the cultural learning directly to a concrete example. This would make the progression smoother and less dependent on simple sequencing.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including relevant academic terms such as “geology,” “final year research,” “higher studies,” and “technological instruments.” These choices communicate the subject of your experience clearly, and “cherish” adds a personal tone. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural choices that limit precision: “register for” is less natural here than “apply for,” “a volcanic petrology expertise” is not the correct form, and “very advance labs” has an incorrect word form. “Newest technological instruments” is also less idiomatic than “latest equipment.” Check spelling as well, including “pleasant.” More accurate collocations and word forms would make your vocabulary sound more fluent and controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, and several sentences are clear, including “When I was applying for higher studies, it came out as a huge advantage for me.” The conditional-style advice, “I believe this chance would be very helpful,” also shows some range. Some grammatical errors remain, though they rarely prevent understanding. For example, “It was very different experience” needs an article, and “when we compare to Sri Lankan culture” has an unclear subject and comparison structure. In “I went to Saga University SPACE-E student exchange program,” the relationship between the university and the programme needs clearer grammatical framing. Review articles, sentence construction, and consistent reference to who is comparing what; this would improve accuracy while preserving your varied sentence forms.

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

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