Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-08

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 am writing to express my interest in the advertisement you posted regarding the position of house helper.

I am pleased to offer my services, as I am interested in helping with cleaning, gardening and cooking during the upcoming summer season. I also know how to drive, which could be useful if you need to do grocery shopping or travelling to appointments. In addition, I live in the same area as you and currently looking for a flexible job that would allow me to look after my children as well. I have worked in a hospital, which has taught me how to remain calm and deal with health-related situations.

My availability is somewhat limited on weekends because my children are at home. However, I am available to work Monday to Friday from 8am to 3pm. I would also be happy to come by for an hour or two on weekends to check on your garden if required.

I hope you will consider my application, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Priyanka Sharma

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly outline how you can help (cleaning, gardening, cooking, driving), explain your motivation (seeking flexible work to balance with childcare), and provide specific availability (Monday to Friday, 8am–3pm). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a potential employer. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands your offer and constraints. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail on your previous experience, perhaps linking your hospital work more explicitly to the reliability required for home help.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task, which aids readability. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'However', and 'which could be useful' to connect ideas effectively. The progression of information is smooth and easy to follow. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the use of standard opening and closing salutations is correct. The flow is natural, and the relationship between your availability and your personal circumstances is clearly explained.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for this task. Phrases like 'express my interest', 'upcoming summer season', and 'health-related situations' are used accurately. You avoid repetition and maintain a professional tone throughout. While the vocabulary is sufficient and precise, it is mostly functional. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items to describe your skills or the nature of the work. For example, instead of 'house helper', you might use 'domestic assistant' or 'household support'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter displays a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is generally accurate. There is a minor grammatical slip in the second paragraph: 'currently looking' should be 'I am currently looking'. Despite this, the meaning is never obscured, and the sentence structures are varied enough to convey your message clearly. You use modal verbs like 'could' and 'would' appropriately to express possibility and politeness, which is a key feature of formal correspondence.

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

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