Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-18

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 Smith,

Hope you are doing well. It's been a long time since we met. I am glad to advise you about your future career prospects.

As you recently completed your bachelor's in information technology. Rather than studying again to pursue master's degree, you should try finding a job in your field because practical experience gives more exposure than theoretical knowledge. However, practical on-job experience often adds more value in resume and escalates the chances of getting a job with competitive salary and lucrative benefits. However, you won't enjoy going back to college because most of our buddies are working now.

I think you could easily get an entry level job in tech sector, as your field of study is really vast which easily targets multiple roles in tech sectors. There are many new start-ups who are often hiring individuals for such entry-level positions. Starting a job in small company and gaining experience is a road to getting a senior position in MNC.

I hope my advice would help you to choose your career. Let me know if you need any help. I'm just one call away.

Best regards,

Param

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: explaining why college might not be enjoyable, the benefits of working, and suggesting suitable roles. Your position is clear throughout the letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the reason given for not enjoying college—that 'most of our buddies are working now'—is a bit superficial. To reach a higher band, you could expand on the personal or professional drawbacks of further study, such as the financial burden or the lack of practical application. Overall, the task is fulfilled, but the depth of the arguments could be improved.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'However' and 'As you recently,' to link ideas. However, the use of 'However' at the start of two consecutive sentences in the second paragraph is repetitive and slightly awkward. Additionally, the transition between the idea of practical experience and the reason for not enjoying college is a bit abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'career prospects,' 'theoretical knowledge,' and 'lucrative benefits.' There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'adds more value in resume' (should be 'adds value to your resume') and 'tech sector' (often requires an article). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, there is limited use of less common or more sophisticated lexical items. Expanding your range to include more precise collocations would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'Rather than studying again to pursue master's degree' and missing articles (e.g., 'in tech sector'). Additionally, the phrase 'escalates the chances' is slightly unnatural in this context; 'increases' would be more appropriate. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will help improve your accuracy.

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

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