Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-06

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 Jim,

I hope you’re doing well, I got your message that you are confused about what next to do in your life whether go to college or start working. Honestly, I would say that college won’t be a fun place to be first of all. You will be surrounded by so many books, assignments and lectures that it might sound the worst nightmare of your life. I personally don’t think it is a good idea to pursue college.

Rather than going college I would recommend you to start working. We have been together since childhood and I know how good you are building things.

You can utilize these skills and try your luck in construction, plumbing or any other skilled trades they are always looking for young talent like you.

I hope you won’t be confused after reading this let me know what you think. I will see you soon!

Regards,

Sid P

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state why college might not be enjoyable, explain the benefits of working, and suggest specific trades. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat brief. For instance, while you mention that college involves 'books and assignments,' expanding slightly on why these are specifically unsuited to your friend's personality would have provided more depth. The position is clear throughout, and the response effectively fulfills the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific point from the prompt. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Rather than' and 'I personally don’t think,' which help the flow. However, the transition between the introduction and the body could be smoother. The use of paragraphing is appropriate for a letter format. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, though the use of linking words is somewhat basic and could be more varied to achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'utilize these skills' and 'skilled trades' are relevant and accurate. There are no significant spelling errors, and the word choice is generally natural for an informal letter. To improve, you could incorporate more precise or sophisticated collocations. For example, instead of saying 'fun place to be,' you might use 'intellectually stimulating environment.' The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the flexibility and range required for a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'what next to do' (should be 'what to do next') and 'good you are building things' (missing 'at' after 'good'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there is a comma splice in the first sentence ('...doing well, I got...'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures would help improve your score in this criterion.

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

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