Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-19

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 Freddy,

I recently received your letter and have read it very carefully. Upon going through a ton of thoughts about what you should choose between a job or a further education.

I am writing this letter to suggest that perhaps you shall get a job of your interest first. There are several factors that you shall consider while considering further education. Contemporarily, I have witnessed many individuals taking a field job first and while working they take a degree and enrol themselves as a part-time student. I know you like more hands-on stuff and taking another 4 years of degree course would hold you hostage for another 4 years.

Indeed that is a valuable time of your life and thus considering my option, I would say it would best suite your method studying. Gaining both practical and professional experience at the same time. By the time, you will complete your part-time course, you will have acquired at least 3-4 years of work experience. This will boost your professional career to extreme heights and it will guarantee you a prosperous future in your work life.

Since you are a graduate of a Diploma, Mechanical Engineer course. I highly suggest you to take a field of your interest. I remember that you had mentioned this in one of our conversation which you relate more with design and drafting of Mechanical Engineering. Considering this as a pivot, I would suggest you to look for Design Engineer's job some where in the city. This is a desk job and will get you very valuable experience while you finish a degree from a University.

I hope my suggestion make sense and will help you decide what option to choose. Please reach out to me if you have any questions related to this or any other thing that you would like to discuss. I would be very happy to assist you in getting the best option for you.

Regards,

Subhash

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt effectively. You clearly explained why college might not be enjoyable for your friend, provided a logical argument for why working is a better alternative, and offered specific job suggestions related to his background in Mechanical Engineering. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a helpful and supportive stance throughout. Your ideas are well-developed, particularly the suggestion of combining part-time study with work, which demonstrates a thoughtful approach to the task requirements. The response is fully relevant and provides a clear, consistent position.

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 prompt, which aids readability. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Indeed', 'Since', and 'By the time'. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, and there are minor issues with sentence-level cohesion, such as the sentence fragment in the opening paragraph: 'Upon going through a ton of thoughts...'. Despite this, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different points of your advice.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including terms like 'prosperous', 'professional experience', and 'pivot'. You successfully use topic-specific language related to engineering, such as 'design and drafting'. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices or phrasing, such as 'hold you hostage' (which is a bit too dramatic for this context) and 'best suite your method studying' (which should be 'best suit your study method'). While these minor inaccuracies exist, they do not impede communication and you show a sufficient range to convey your ideas with precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'what you should choose between a job or a further education' is awkward, and 'I highly suggest you to take a field' should be 'I highly suggest you choose a field'. There are also minor punctuation and article errors, such as 'a Diploma, Mechanical Engineer course'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of infinitive versus gerund forms after certain verbs.

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

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