Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-25

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 7.0)

Dear Mrs Barrett,

How are you doing? I saw the advert you placed looking for someone to help at your place over the summer. Well, I don't mind coming over and lending you a helping hand.

I don't know the specifics of what you may need help with but I have a few guesses and I would like to suggest to you how I could help. Firstly, I will help with the weeding and mowing, generally keeping the grasses and flowers in your compound well groomed. I can also help with the dishes, house cleaning and laundry, which by the way is one my favorite house chores to do.

I want you to know that this is a voluntary application and I do not expect any form of compensation. I want to do this because the summer holidays are some of my idlest periods and I don't want to while away my time when I can spend some of it in goodwill.

If you do accept my offer I will be available in the mornings during weekday from 9 a.m to 12 noon as this is my free time. I usually have afternoon choir practices during the weekdays. I also will be available throughout the day on saturday but sundays are off limits it is my holy day of obligation.

I do wish you accept my humble offer, see you soon.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address all three points clearly: you offer gardening and household help, explain that you want to use your free time constructively, and give specific weekday and weekend availability. The examples make the offer easy to understand, and your reason is relevant. The response also maintains a clear, polite purpose throughout. To develop the ideas more fully, clarify whether you are applying for paid work or volunteering: “I do not expect any form of compensation” may not match an advertisement for someone to help, and could be framed as a question or preference. You could also make the proposed duties and schedule sound more directly tailored to Mrs Barrett rather than presenting them as guesses.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear progression from responding to the advert, to describing possible duties, explaining your motivation, and setting out availability. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and signposts such as “Firstly” and “If you do accept my offer” help the reader follow your points. The final paragraph also returns to the purpose of the letter. Some linking is a little mechanical, however, particularly the repeated use of “I” to begin sentences and the list-like transitions between duties and availability. A more natural connection between your motivation and the offer, along with a conventional closing sentence and sign-off, would make the organisation feel more polished and cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for a personal letter, including “lending you a helping hand,” “voluntary application,” and “holy day of obligation.” These choices communicate your intentions and add some personal tone. There are also a few imprecise or unnatural expressions: “keeping the grasses and flowers in your compound well groomed” is less idiomatic than describing a garden as tidy, and “one my favorite house chores” has an awkward collocation and a missing word. “Idle periods” and “while away my time” are understandable but make your motivation sound less natural than intended. More precise, idiomatic phrasing would show stronger control of collocation and register while preserving your friendly tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex forms, including “I don't know the specifics of what you may need help with” and the conditional “If you do accept my offer.” Most sentences are understandable, and the grammar does not obstruct your message. Some errors remain, including “one my favorite” (missing “of”), “during weekday” (missing an article or plural form), and the run-on construction “sundays are off limits it is my holy day of obligation.” The final sentence, “I do wish you accept,” also needs a different verb pattern, such as “I hope you will accept.” Review articles, sentence boundaries, and verb patterns; these corrections would make your otherwise clear range more accurate.

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

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