Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-08
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 Rucha,
I hope you and your family are doing well. I am writing this letter to give you a response to your letter regarding your confusion about college or job but most importantly accept my apology for late response first.
Firstly, I know you had completed your post-graduation and also want to study more but I would suggest you find a job first. Moreover, you will not enjoy much in college now because of major change of faculty and I heard from one of my cousins that professors now in university is too young to teach as old ones had resigned.
Furthermore, you should find a good hospital to work, as you have to support your family now. you know your brother is still in board and your father is soon going to retired, so, it is your responsibility to earn. Additionally, you have completed your Master's degree in Nursing, the hospital near your home is the best options to work and you completed your internship from there. It will be easy to find a job there.
Anyways, think carefully about this and I will wait for your response. Greeting from me for you and your family.
Your lovely friend
Vrushti Patel
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly state why college might not be enjoyable, explain the necessity of working to support your family, and suggest a specific, relevant job in a hospital. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the position is consistent throughout. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the 'why' behind the college experience, perhaps by contrasting the academic environment with the practical benefits of nursing, which would provide more depth to your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader through your arguments. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. For example, the shift between the apology in the introduction and the main advice could be smoother. Additionally, the referencing in the second paragraph ('professors now in university is too young') is a bit clunky. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'post-graduation', 'internship', and 'responsibility'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'major change of faculty' (which usually refers to the staff, not the curriculum) and 'soon going to retired' (should be 'retire'). While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the precision of your writing. To improve, focus on using more natural collocations and ensuring that word forms are used correctly in context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement ('professors... is too young'), tense errors ('you had completed' instead of 'you have completed'), and missing articles ('the hospital near your home is the best options'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To achieve a higher score, you should focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent verb tenses throughout your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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