Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-03

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 Linda,

It's been a long time since we saw each other. I am writing to advice you that you should definitely get a job rather than start studying again.

As you are already struggling with managing your budget, joining a college and paying a considerable amount of fees is not a great idea. Hence, it would be really difficult for you to pay for your degree as well as the daily expenses.

In order to become financially stable, it is advisable to start working and to earn some money. Not only you can pay your bills with a full time job, but also save money for your future to study.

Based on your level of education and your knowledge, I think the jobs related to commerce such as retail sales representative will be suitable for you. Your friendly behavior and extroverted personality will go perfect with such roles.

I hope you will consider my opinion favorably.

best regards,

Sukhmandeep

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt effectively. You clearly explain why college might be a burden, provide a logical argument for choosing employment, and suggest specific roles like a retail sales representative. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and your position is consistent throughout the response. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the long-term benefits of your advice to provide a more comprehensive development of your ideas. Overall, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use cohesive devices such as 'Hence', 'In order to', and 'Not only... but also' to link your ideas. The progression of information is easy to follow. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother to enhance the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure supports the message well. The use of referencing is clear, ensuring the reader understands the connection between your advice and your friend's situation.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'financially stable', 'extroverted personality', and 'considerable amount of fees'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'I am writing to advice you' (should be 'advise') and 'go perfect with' (should be 'go perfectly with'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items would help elevate the response to a higher band. The spelling is generally accurate throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the 'Not only... but also' construction. There are some grammatical slips, for example, 'since we saw each other' (could be 'since we last met') and the aforementioned confusion between 'advice' (noun) and 'advise' (verb). Additionally, 'joining a college' is slightly unnatural; 'enrolling in college' would be more precise. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring subject-verb agreement would improve your score.

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