Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Mrs Barrett, an English-speaking woman who lives in your town, has advertised for someone to help her in her home for a few hours a day next summer.

Write a letter to Mrs Barrett. In your letter

• suggest how you could help her in her home
• say why you would like to do this work
• explain when you will and will not be available

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Mrs Barrett,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Mrs Barrett,

I am writing this letter to express my views on the advertisement you posted a few days back in the newspaper. After reading it closely, I came to know that you are from the same city as mine and are looking for a helping hand in teaching English during the summer. I have done my master's in English literature and would be grateful if I will get a chance to teach students of secondary school.

As I have recently graduated from the University of Toronto, Canada, with a GPA of 3.7. I am looking forward to gaining experience in my field of study before I join a high school as a tutor. Therefore, I would not get anything better than this opportunity to start my career.

Additionally, I am not pursuing another study right now. I am just focused on getting my desired job. So I am available full-time and part-time according to your requirements. I can work from morning to evening every day except Saturdays and Sundays.

I am looking forward to getting your positive response.

Yours faithfully,

Talwinder Singh Dhillon.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt, covering the nature of the help, the motivation, and your availability. However, there is a significant misunderstanding of the task requirements. The prompt asks for help in Mrs Barrett's home (e.g., cleaning, cooking, gardening), but you have interpreted this as a request to teach English. This misinterpretation of the task's core instruction limits your score, as the content does not align with the scenario provided. While the letter is well-structured and covers the required points, the failure to address the specific nature of the 'help in her home' prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your ideas easily. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'Therefore' to link your sentences. To improve, try to vary your transition words and ensure that the flow between sentences is slightly more sophisticated. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my views' and 'gaining experience in my field of study' are appropriate for a formal letter. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'I would not get anything better than this opportunity,' which sounds slightly unnatural. Using more precise collocations would elevate your writing. Overall, your vocabulary is adequate for the task, and your meaning is always clear, even if the range is not particularly wide or sophisticated.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing this letter to express...' and 'As I have recently graduated...'. There are some grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'As I have recently graduated... with a GPA of 3.7.' and the incorrect use of the future tense in 'if I will get a chance'. Despite these errors, your meaning remains clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, focus on eliminating sentence fragments and ensuring consistent verb tense usage.

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