Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently received a letter from a friend asking for advice about whether to go to college or to try to get a job. You think he/she should get a job.

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter

• say why he/she would not enjoy going to college
• explain why getting a job is a good idea for him/her
• suggest types of job that would be suitable for him/her

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Dear Raju,

I have received your email and I am writing this letter to advise you whether you should start working or join a college. From my perspective, you should take a break from study for a year because it allows you to discover your own interest and at the same time, jobs will certainly add some skills into your CV. It will also help you to strengthen your finance a bit which you can use in relocation or any other important matters.

Since you are unsure about your own interest, I am suggesting you to get a job. Choosing a random course may waste your time so it is better to work for a while and once you figure out your interest, it would be easy for you to be focused and concentrate on subjects. You can look out for a job through Indeed or recruitment agency. The manufacturing jobs are in demand now so there are high chances that you would get it withing a week or month.

Please let me know if you need my help to find a job or resume. I can help you with that. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Vaibhav

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your recommendation is clear: you advise Raju to work for a year before choosing a course, and you give relevant reasons, including discovering his interests, gaining skills and improving his finances. However, the task asks why he would not enjoy college, and this point is only partly addressed: being unsure of his interests and choosing a random course might waste time, but you do not explain what specifically could make college unenjoyable for him. The benefits of employment are more developed than the reasons against college. You also suggest manufacturing work, but this is a broad category rather than a job matched to his abilities or preferences. Develop these two points with personal details or examples to make the advice more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall progression: you introduce your advice, explain your reasoning, suggest a route to finding work, and close by offering help. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and links such as “Since” and “so” make the relationship between ideas understandable. The organisation is effective, though some connections feel mechanical or slightly unclear. For example, “Since you are unsure about your own interest” repeats an idea from the opening, while the move from job-search websites to manufacturing demand is abrupt. The closing also shifts into “Thank you” and “Kind regards,” which is somewhat formal for a letter to a friend. Use more natural transitions and connect the job suggestion directly to Raju’s interests or strengths.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for giving advice, including “discover your own interest,” “strengthen your finance,” “recruitment agency,” and “in demand.” These choices communicate the main message, and the reader can understand your recommendation throughout. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, however, such as “add some skills into your CV,” “strengthen your finance,” and “look out for a job.” There is also a spelling error in “withing.” These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit the precision and naturalness of the letter. Aim for common, accurate combinations such as “gain skills to add to your CV,” “improve your financial situation,” and “look for a job,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, and several sentences are controlled well, such as “Choosing a random course may waste your time so it is better to work for a while.” Your meaning remains clear despite some grammatical errors. For example, “I am suggesting you to get a job” has an incorrect verb pattern; use “I suggest that you get a job” or “I am suggesting that you get a job.” In “once you figure out your interest, it would be easy for you to be focused,” the conditional structure and passive phrasing are awkward; “once you figure out your interests, you will find it easier to focus” is clearer. Review verb patterns, conditional forms and punctuation between linked clauses to improve accuracy.

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

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