Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
All new employees at your workplace have a mentor - an experienced colleague who gives them advice and support in their career. As a new employee, you have been given details of your mentor.
Write a letter to introduce yourself to your new mentor. In your letter
give a brief outline of your previous studies and work experience
explain what help you hope your mentor can give
suggest arrangements for a first meeting with your mentor
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear....... ,
Student answer (Band 6.0)
Dear Sir,
I am writing this letter in order to introduce myself as you will be my mentor during my initial days in the company. Additionaly, I would also like to state what exactly I am expecting from your mentorship during this tenure.
To begin with, I did my bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from London School of Economics. Since my graduation, I have been working in a manufacturing firm where I build a strong foundation in quality compliances.
Secondly, I would like to make some clarifications regarding my overall expecations from you as your sub-ordinate. Since in this organization, the core focus is towards building AI systems to integrate machine manufacturing and quantum computing. So, I have always been lacking when it comes to machine learning modules. From our executives, I have heard that this is one of your best skill. Therefore, I am expecting that I will learn a lot of new things in this area from you.
Lastly, I think it would be pragmatic if we both could sit together on this coming Monday noon to have a face-to-face interaction, and to discuss which route I should follow under your mentorship.
I am looking forward to hear from you.
Yours sincerely,
Zain
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
The response successfully covers all the bullet points outlined in the prompt. You begin the letter appropriately, though the salutation 'Dear Sir' could be more personal since you have been given details of your mentor. You give a clear outline of your previous studies (a bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from the London School of Economics) and your work experience in a manufacturing firm. Furthermore, you explain what help you hope to receive, specifically mentioning your need to improve in machine learning modules to fit the company's focus on AI systems. Finally, you suggest a concrete arrangement for your first meeting by proposing 'this coming Monday noon'. Ideas are adequately extended and supported throughout the text, satisfying the criteria for a Band 7 performance.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The letter exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression. You use standard transitional markers such as 'To begin with', 'Secondly', and 'Lastly' to guide the reader through the paragraphs, although these devices can occasionally feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, background, expectations, and meeting proposal into distinct blocks. Referencing is mostly clear, though the phrase 'as your sub-ordinate' in the third paragraph is slightly misapplied, as a mentor-mentee relationship in a workplace is typically collaborative rather than a direct reporting line. Overall, the structural flow is easy to follow, placing this comfortably in the Band 7 range.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
Your lexical range is generally sufficient for the task, allowing you to discuss your background and expectations with some precision. You incorporate appropriate vocabulary such as 'foundation', 'compliances', 'pragmatic', and 'interaction'. However, there are some word-choice and collocation errors that prevent a higher score, such as 'expecations' (spelling error), 'build a strong foundation' (tense shift issues in 'where I build'), and referring to yourself as a 'sub-ordinate'. Furthermore, phrases like 'in order to' and 'regards to' are slightly wordy. These occasional inaccuracies are characteristic of a Band 6 performance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional-style ideas effectively. However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward structures present. For instance, 'where I build a strong foundation' should be past tense ('built'). The sentence starting with 'Since in this organization...' is a fragment and should be connected to the main clause. Additionally, 'I am looking forward to hear from you' contains a gerund error and should be 'looking forward to hearing'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but commas are sometimes misused, as seen before 'and to discuss' in the penultimate paragraph. These errors occasionally disrupt the reading flow, aligning the text with Band 6.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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