Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-12

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 Ankit,

I hope you're in the pink of health! It's been ages and ages since we met with each other. I'm really happy to receive your letter after a long period of time. I'm wholeheartedly thankful for asking me about this vital decision. Although studying plays an important role in our life, the best decision for you is to find a suitable job. As I know, you're multi-talented and hardworking, and have a good command on hand tools. If you choose to go college, it might be a boredom for you. Getting job is a better chance for you to start your career at this initial stage for a stable livelihood.

If you start working now, It will give you plenty of experience, knowledge, and practical skiils, which will help you in the future career growth. You can achieve much more things faster than a graduate student of our age.

I would suggest you some of the trade jobs such as plumbing, electrician, gas technician, and builder. I believe your passion and interest make you an ideal person for these handy jobs.

If you need any assistance please let me know and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours lovingly,

Gurdeep

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly state your preference for the friend to work rather than study, explain why college might not be suitable, and provide specific job suggestions. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the position is consistent throughout. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the reasoning behind why college would be 'boredom' for him, perhaps by linking it more explicitly to his specific personality traits or learning style, rather than just stating it as a general possibility.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Although', 'If', and 'Furthermore' (implied), which help the flow. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be improved to better link the benefits of working with the specific job suggestions provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions like 'in the pink of health' and phrases like 'vital decision' and 'stable livelihood'. There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'good command on hand tools' (should be 'command of') and 'Getting job' (missing article 'a'). While you attempt some less common vocabulary, there is room to refine your word choices to sound more natural and precise. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'If you choose to go college' (missing 'to'), 'Getting job' (missing article), and 'I would suggest you some of the trade jobs' (awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on article usage, prepositions, and ensuring that complex sentence structures are grammatically sound.

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

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