Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-12
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 Sara,
Last week your brother informed me about your plans to pursue your studies in foreign university. I am writing to you i particular to share my experience as I recently graduated from a renowed university in Canada.I chose one year master's programme in school management and leadership
focusing on "Early Education" from university of Toronto.
Unlike India, the education system in canada is pretty different. It focuses more on practical skills along with real working environment. Courses here are usually followed by 6 months of internship which help us to implement our theoritical knowledge into practice.
These particular year of study has contributed enormously to my career. It has helped me to learn several new things about this multicultural nation. Though climate is harsh, people over here are more polite and emphathetic towards newcomers.
However, I still missed family and festive vibes of India there. But at the end of the day, Its all worth it as it benefits you with clean air, better infrastructure, employment opportunities and a lot more.
Lastly, I am glad that you are thinking about your academics abroad. Feel free to reach out in case of queries. I would be happy to help you!
Best Wishes,
Saloni.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
You address all three requested points: you identify the University of Toronto and your programme, describe aspects of Canadian education and society, and explain that the year contributed to your career. The letter also has an appropriate, friendly purpose and closing. The explanation of what you learnt is relevant, especially the contrast between practical learning and the Indian system, but the final paragraph shifts towards general benefits such as clean air and employment rather than explaining specifically how the experience helped your studies. The academic benefit is also stated broadly rather than illustrated with a concrete example. This covers the task well overall, while fuller development and a clearer link between the experience and your studies would make the response more complete.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The letter has a clear overall sequence: it introduces your experience, describes education in Canada, reflects on personal learning, and ends with an offer of help. Paragraphing supports this progression, and transitions such as “Unlike India,” “Though,” and “However” help signal contrasts. Some connections are less precise, however. “These particular year of study” refers back awkwardly to the programme, and the paragraph beginning “However” moves from missing family to broad national benefits without a clear link to the academic purpose. The opening sentence also contains several details before the main point is fully established. Use clearer references and make each paragraph develop one aspect of the task; this would make the progression more consistently smooth rather than occasionally abrupt.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including relevant expressions such as “practical skills,” “working environment,” “multicultural nation,” and “employment opportunities.” These help communicate both academic and cultural observations. There are also attempts at more specific vocabulary, but some choices or forms are inaccurate: “renowed” should be “renowned,” “theoritical” should be “theoretical,” and “emphathetic” should be “empathetic.” Phrases such as “benefits you with” and “festive vibes” are less natural or precise in this context. These slips do not prevent understanding, but more accurate spelling and collocation would strengthen control. Prefer natural combinations such as “offers benefits” and “missed the family atmosphere and festivals back home.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and more complex sentences, including the contrast in “Though climate is harsh, people over here are more polite…” and the relative clause in “Courses here are usually followed by 6 months of internship which help us…”. Meaning is generally clear, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “in foreign university” needs an article, “These particular year” has a number-agreement problem, and “which help us” does not agree with the singular “internship.” The sentence about choosing a programme also lacks clear punctuation and a complete sentence boundary. Capitalisation is inconsistent in “canada” and “Its.” Review articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries, while continuing to use varied structures; this will make the writing more consistently accurate.
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