Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19

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 Siya,

I hope this letter finds you doing well.I heard from your sister that you are considering to study in United States since its a part of your university course.Moreover, I just completed the same and thought that it will be beneficial to you if i share my experience and viewpoints to guide you through.

I got an opportunity to study in Canada during my university years. I went to york university for my business course which is one of the most popular universities among international students since it provides you with Co-op facilities too so that you can gain hands on experince in your field.

Canada was completely a new country for me since I knew no one there.Initially it was hard for me to manage studies and work but gradually you learn to become independent. It provides you with the freedom and helps you get out of your comfort zone.

I believe it was one of the most helpful decisions I made for myself because I have become a completely changed person ever since that.Also, it helped me gain self - confidence with stronger professional network.

Hence, I think it will be a great idea to move and get to live a different life which teaches you study- work life balance.I hope to hear back from you soon. Wishing the best for you always.

Yours sincerely,

Drishti

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three requested points: you identify York University in Canada, describe becoming more independent and learning to leave your comfort zone, and explain that the experience built confidence and a professional network. The advice to Siya also gives the letter a clear purpose and an appropriately supportive tone. However, the description of what you learnt about Canada is quite general; it focuses mainly on your personal adjustment rather than offering a specific insight about the country or its culture. The academic benefit is also only briefly explained, with little detail about how the experience supported your business studies. These relevant ideas cover the task, but developing those two points more fully would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall sequence: you introduce why you are writing, describe your university experience, reflect on adapting to Canada, and end with advice and a friendly closing. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and links such as “Initially,” “gradually,” and “Hence” guide the reader through the message. Some connections are less precise or feel mechanical, however. For example, “Moreover” does not clearly add to the preceding point, and “Hence” introduces advice without a fully developed link to the benefits described. The shift from studying in Canada to the recipient considering the United States could also be handled more explicitly. Use transitions that show the exact relationship between ideas, and make references such as “it” unmistakably clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including relevant expressions such as “get out of your comfort zone,” “self-confidence,” and “professional network.” These help communicate your experience and advice, and the tone is generally suitable. There are also attempts at more specific vocabulary, such as “Co-op facilities” and “study-work life balance,” though some phrasing is imprecise or unnatural: “viewpoints to guide you through” and “a completely changed person ever since that” do not express the intended meaning smoothly. Spelling and word-form slips, including “experince,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for natural collocations and precise wording, for example, explain what practical experience or academic skills you gained rather than relying on broad claims.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses with “since,” “so that,” and “because,” and the message remains understandable throughout. Some grammatical and punctuation errors persist. For example, “I heard … you are considering to study” needs a more suitable verb pattern, while “I just completed the same” would be clearer with an appropriate object or clause. In “I hope this letter finds you doing well.I heard,” a space is missing after the full stop; there are also inconsistent capitalisation and spacing around punctuation. The sentence beginning “Canada was completely a new country for me since I knew no one there” combines ideas in a way that is grammatically awkward. Review verb patterns, articles, and sentence boundaries, while continuing to use varied structures.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.