Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-28

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 6.0)

Hey Minal,

I hope this letter finds you in radiant health and the best of spirits. I am writing this letter to inform you about my foreign experience of studying in an university.

To begin with, I have been living in Canada since 4 years and I recently completed my graduation. I amazed when I came to know that you are planning to study abroad. Hence, I would like to reveal my experience as a student. Most importantly, I used to study in one of the prestigious university of Canada. I pursued Information technology course for 3 years of duration. The course was difficult and curriculum was lengthy.However, I finally completed it with good grades.

Besides this,I learnt some interesting things about the country including its culture and traditions, varieties of food, languages and work ethics. These knowledge is necessary for holistic development of myselve.

Lastly, I believe that it would be rewarding to study in foreign country. It would be helpful to develop some skills and you will learn about the responsibilities. Apart from this, it will be beneficial to balance your work-life. Hence, it will be great opportunities to gain hands-on experience.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours lovingly,

Anjali

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you identify Canada as the country, mention learning about its culture, food, languages and work ethics, and explain that studying abroad can develop skills and independence. However, the account is only partly tailored to the task. The location is not specific, and the description of what you learnt is a list rather than a developed personal insight. The explanation of how the year helped your studies is also unclear: “develop some skills” and “balance your work-life” are general benefits, not examples of how the experience supported your academic work. Clarify where you studied and connect a specific experience or skill to your university studies.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement, with an opening, separate paragraphs for your experience and learning, and a closing. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “Besides this,” and “Lastly” help readers follow the main points. However, these transitions sometimes feel mechanical, and the links between ideas are not always clear. For example, the paragraph about learning local customs ends with “These knowledge is necessary for holistic development,” without explaining how that learning relates to the country or your studies. The shift from describing your own experience to advising Minal could also be smoother. Use clearer references and connect each paragraph’s details to the purpose of the letter.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal letter, including phrases such as “culture and traditions,” “work ethics,” “holistic development,” and “hands-on experience.” These show an effort to use vocabulary beyond basic everyday language, and the meaning is generally understandable. Some choices, however, are unnatural or imprecise: “foreign experience of studying in an university,” “reveal my experience,” and “balance your work-life” do not express the intended ideas naturally. “Radiant health and the best of spirits” is also overly formal for writing to a friend’s sister. Aim for precise, natural collocations and a consistent friendly tone; for example, say “share my experience” and “balance your studies and personal life.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more complex sentences, using structures such as “I am writing this letter to…” and “I believe that it would be rewarding…”. The message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “I have been living in Canada since 4 years” needs a duration construction, while “I amazed” is missing the appropriate verb form. There are also errors in articles and agreement, as in “one of the prestigious university” and “These knowledge is necessary.” Punctuation and spacing need attention in “lengthy.However” and “Besides this,I”. Practise accurate tense, article and agreement patterns, and proofread sentence boundaries.

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