Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-26

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 7.5)

Dear Raman.

I am writing to give you a suggestion on whether you should start the college or whether getting a job is a rational idea. As we are graduated from one of the renowned institutions of our area, and we also have a master degree in Hospitality, what I think is that this is the quite sufficient qualification to get a job instead of studying other courses, which in the end make a job-seeker overqualified.

Despite enrolling in educational programs, I think should I start off looking an occupation, I can gain professional experience. Not only does having a job help you build a professional career, but it also become a source of daily bread and butter, thereby reducing the financial burden of the individual.

Unlike other candidates who are applying jobs in every field, I would recommend to you that you should only target the chosen field. For instance, you should look for the opportunities in hotels since you have your studies in Hotel and Restaurant Management. You will find this work interesting as you already know most of its duties.

Kind regards,

Abhishek.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state why college is unnecessary given your friend's existing qualifications, explain the benefits of working, and provide specific advice regarding the hospitality sector. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the position is consistent throughout. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of why he would not enjoy college is more explicit; currently, you focus more on the redundancy of the qualification rather than the personal experience of attending college itself. However, the task is fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Despite', 'Not only... but also', and 'For instance'. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or could be smoother. For example, the opening sentence is a bit clunky, and the connection between the first and second paragraphs could be improved with better signposting. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including terms like 'rational idea', 'renowned institutions', 'overqualified', and 'financial burden'. There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'start the college' (should be 'start college') and 'applying jobs' (should be 'applying for jobs'). While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. You show an ability to use topic-specific vocabulary related to education and employment, which is appropriate for this task. To improve, focus on more natural collocations and idiomatic expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional and inverted structures like 'Not only does having a job help...'. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'we are graduated' (should be 'we have graduated') and 'it also become' (should be 'it also becomes'). Additionally, there is a slight confusion in the sentence 'I think should I start off looking an occupation', which is syntactically awkward. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the errors do not significantly hinder the reader's understanding.

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