Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-24
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 6.5)
Dear friend,
I hope you are doing well. It had been a while we talked to each other. How is the things going on your side. I received your letter seeking advise about whether to go to college or to try to get a job.
Firstly, I wanted to ask you what you enjoy and gives you joy either job or studies because its totally depends on you what keep you charged and motivated. However, if you wanted to switch your educational phase to corporate phase it would be best time when you are ready to dig about opportunities'.
Secondly, if you would love to join career and look ahead, i will suggest to go with entry level which will give you a sense of responsibility and also let you grow over the time, rather than get stuck in the loop. For instance, Jobs like customer service, data entry clerk and so on.
I hope you will dig in more and will take right decision.
kind regards,
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses all three bullet points, but the development is somewhat superficial. You mention that college might not be enjoyable, but you do not provide specific reasons for this, instead focusing on general advice about motivation. The explanation for why a job is a good idea is also quite brief. To improve, you should expand on the 'why'—for example, mentioning the benefits of financial independence or gaining practical experience. While the tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, the content lacks the depth required to fully develop the ideas as expected in a Band 7 or higher response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your train of thought. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'However' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes hindered by grammatical errors, such as in the opening paragraph where the connection between sentences is slightly awkward. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas could be smoother. The letter follows a logical structure, but the cohesive devices are used in a somewhat mechanical way rather than with the flexibility expected at higher bands.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'corporate phase', 'entry level', and 'data entry clerk'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'switch your educational phase' and 'join career', which sound unnatural. There are also minor issues with word forms, such as 'advise' (should be the noun 'advice'). To reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise collocations and a wider range of vocabulary that sounds more natural in a semi-formal or informal context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'It had been a while we talked' (should be 'It has been a while since we talked'), 'How is the things going' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'its totally depends' (should be 'it totally depends'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of apostrophes and capitalization. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they occur frequently enough to limit your score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and basic sentence construction will significantly improve your accuracy.
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