Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-17

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 7.0)

Dear Sara,

I received your letter yesterday and I read that you are seeking my advice whether you should join a college for further studies or start working in a company. It will be my pleasure to guide you in the right direction. I would suggest you to start working for a company.

There are many benefits of doing a job rather than going to the college. Firstly, by joining the college you will gain theoretical knowledge of the subject. However, if you start working you will gain the necessary skills which will be proved very helpful as you go further in your life. Secondly, with the growing age it will not be fun to join a college as students joining college would be younger than you and it will be difficult to cope up with them.

I would suggest you to start working as a IT Business Analyst or IT Business development executive for a reputed company because you have a background in Information Technology and you have also done post graduate course in business management. Combining skills from both these courses you will be able to earn telephone figure salary and you will also be able to help your parents with finances.

I hope you will like my advice and start working. Give my regards to your parents.

Yours lovingly,

Meera

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly state why college might not be enjoyable, explain the benefits of working, and provide specific job suggestions based on the friend's background. 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 for why college would not be enjoyable is more nuanced; currently, the argument that it would not be 'fun' due to age differences is a bit subjective and could be expanded with more professional or practical reasoning to strengthen the persuasive element of the letter.

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 basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'However', and 'Secondly' to guide the reader. While the structure is clear, the flow between some sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words or referencing techniques to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. Phrases like 'theoretical knowledge', 'reputed company', and 'cope up with' (though 'cope with' is more standard) show an attempt to use topic-specific language. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'telephone figure salary' (likely meaning 'six-figure salary') and 'post graduate course' (should be 'postgraduate'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise collocations and idiomatic expressions would help elevate the response to a higher band level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear, but there are some grammatical slips, such as 'I would suggest you to start working' (should be 'I would suggest that you start working' or 'I suggest you start working') and 'which will be proved very helpful' (should be 'which will prove very helpful'). Punctuation is generally accurate. To improve, focus on refining the use of infinitive versus gerund structures and ensuring consistent verb tense usage when discussing future possibilities.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.