Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-05

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 6.0)

Dear Mrs Barret,

I hope you are doing okay. I am writing to inform you that I am willing to help you this summer in all sorts of household chores as advertised in the newspaper.

I have worked for 3 years as a baby-sitter and have quite the experience required for this job. During these three years I not only looked after the baby but also cooked and cleaned. In addition to this I also have acquired professional certification for house-keeping and have been in practice since my teenage years as I was a great help to my mom.

I am willing to work without pay as I need to complete 40 hours of volunteer work this summer. It is a requirement the completion of one of my courses at the university.

I will be available between 8 am to 9pm as I do not have classes in this summer semester. I can only work for two to three hours everyday because i cannot compromise on my leisure time as this is my first summer break in three years. Unfortunately, I will not unavailable on weekends as I would be at my parents place out of station.

I hope you will consider my application. I look forward to your response

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly explained how you could help, provided a logical reason for wanting the work (the university volunteer requirement), and specified your availability. However, the tone is slightly inconsistent for a formal letter to a stranger. Specifically, mentioning that you 'cannot compromise on my leisure time' is quite blunt and unprofessional in a job application context. While the task requirements are met, the tone could be more persuasive and polite to better suit the context of a formal request for employment.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition to this' and 'Unfortunately' to link ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is a bit abrupt. Additionally, the paragraphing is functional, but the flow could be improved by using more varied linking words to connect your experience to your motivation. Overall, the message is easy to follow, and the progression of ideas is clear throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'household chores,' 'professional certification,' and 'volunteer work.' There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'out of station,' which is not standard English in this context (better to use 'out of town' or 'away'). While you successfully convey your meaning, the vocabulary is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid slightly informal phrasing like 'doing okay' in the opening.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'It is a requirement the completion of one of my courses' (should be 'It is a requirement for the completion of...') and 'I will not unavailable' (should be 'I will not be available'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, though there are some missing commas after introductory phrases. The errors present do not impede communication, but they do occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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