Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-03

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 Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your advertisement for someone to help you in your home for a few hours a day next summer. I would be very interested in this opportunity and would like to apply for the position.

I am a responsible and hardworking person, and I have experience doing various household tasks. I can help with cleaning, cooking, shopping and other daily chores. I am also punctual, friendly and willing to learn new things.

I am available throughout the summer and can work for a few hours each day. As I live in the same town, travelling to your home would not be a problem for me. I would be grateful if you could provide me with some more information about the working hours, duties and payment.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: suggesting help, explaining motivation, and detailing availability. However, the response is 144 words, which is below the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length impacts the development of ideas, as the points are presented in a somewhat brief, list-like manner. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your ideas—for example, by describing specific cleaning tasks or explaining why you are particularly interested in this role beyond just being 'hardworking'. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter, but the salutation 'Dear Sir or Madam' contradicts the prompt, which explicitly asks you to address 'Mrs Barrett'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'As I live in the same town' and 'I am also' are used effectively to link sentences. However, the transition between the introduction and the body could be smoother, and the overall structure is quite simple. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, and the letter follows a standard formal format.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You use some relevant terms such as 'opportunity', 'position', and 'punctual'. However, the range is somewhat limited and relies on fairly common, everyday language. There is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated vocabulary that would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives or collocations related to household management or personal attributes to make your writing more descriptive and engaging.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writing demonstrates a good level of grammatical accuracy. Most sentences are error-free, and the structure is clear. You use a mix of simple and compound sentences effectively. While the grammar is generally sound, there is a lack of complex sentence structures (such as conditional clauses or relative clauses) that would demonstrate a wider range. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. To improve, try to vary your sentence structure by using more complex forms to express your ideas, which will help demonstrate greater control over English grammar.

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

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