Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-16

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 7.5)

Dear Mrs. Barrett,

I hope you are doing well. My name is Sam, and I also reside in your neighbourhood. I am writing in response to your advertisement seeking someone to help in your home for a few hours a day next summer.

I would be happy to assist you with gardening and outdoor maintenance. I can help with grass trimming, watering, pest controlling and repairing or installing fencing so that your garden remains attractive and well protected from pests. Regular watering is especially important during the summer months, and I can ensure this is done consistently. Additionally, I have my own professional gardening equipment, which I can bring to your home in my pickup truck to do the job.

Gardening and volunteering have been my passions since my childhood, and when I saw your advertisement, I felt that this opportunity would be perfect for me. Working at your home for a few hours would not affect my regular work schedule, and I would be glad to support you.

Considering my work commitments, I am available from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekends only. I hope this schedule suits your needs.

Please let me know your decision so that I can plan my activities accordingly.

Thank you and kind regards,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly suggested gardening and maintenance as your area of assistance, provided a logical reason for your interest (your passion for volunteering), and explicitly stated your availability (weekends only). The tone is appropriately polite and formal for a letter to a neighbor. The ideas are well-developed, and the response is focused and relevant throughout. You have successfully met all the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the prompt, which makes the structure easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'Considering my work commitments', and 'so that' effectively to link your sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall flow is smooth and natural. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive usage of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context of home maintenance and personal correspondence. Phrases like 'professional gardening equipment', 'regular work schedule', and 'plan my activities accordingly' show a good level of control. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it is generally standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise or sophisticated collocations related to the specific tasks mentioned, such as 'meticulous maintenance' or 'flexible availability'. Overall, the lexical range is sufficient and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your grammar is strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used modal verbs correctly ('would be happy', 'can help', 'would not affect') and maintained consistent tense usage. Punctuation is accurate throughout the letter. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and you demonstrate a high level of control over sentence construction. There are no significant grammatical slips that distract the reader, and the complexity of your sentences is sufficient for this task.

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

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