Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-20

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 Lisa,

I hope you find this letter in good spirits. I am delighted to heard that you complete your schooling and need my advice about whether to continue study or try to get a job.

I believe that you should get a job instead of going to college because I know you always prefer practical activities rather to study for long time. As you find exams and assignments stressful and also you want to be financial independent.

Getting a job is a great idea for you because you will gain practical experience and also develop valuable skills. In addition, you start earning money at a young age and become independent and help your family as I know your family suffered from financial crises this time due to collapsed in your business. Furthermore, doing job will help you understand that what career you want to continue in future.

I think jobs such as customer service or sales position should be suitable for you because since you are friendly and enjoy talking to others. These type of job would help you to improve your communication skills and broaden your knowledge as well. I really hope that my suggestions or advice help you to take best decision regarding your future.

I look forward to hear you soon.

Kind regards,

Sukhmeen

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly explain why college might not be suitable for your friend, provide logical reasons for choosing employment, and suggest specific job roles. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and your position is consistent throughout. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting ideas are fully developed; for instance, the mention of your friend's family financial crisis is a strong point, but it could be linked more smoothly to the advice about getting a job to create a more cohesive argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the prompt. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', and 'because', which help the reader follow your train of thought. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'These type of job', which should be 'These types of jobs'. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal-informal letter format.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'practical experience', 'financial independent', and 'communication skills'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'delighted to heard' (should be 'hear'), 'financial crises this time' (should be 'at this time'), and 'collapsed in your business' (should be 'business collapse'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and collocations to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, particularly with verb forms and prepositions. Examples include 'you complete your schooling' (should be 'have completed'), 'prefer practical activities rather to study' (should be 'rather than studying'), and 'doing job' (should be 'getting a job'). While these errors are noticeable and occur regularly, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct infinitive/gerund usage will help improve your score.

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

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