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 Jay,

I am sorry to hear that you are confused either to apply for a college or get a job. I would suggest you to consider a job instead of taking up a degree course.

I believe that you would not enjoy college because the institution in our area does not offer enough courses that are of your interest. Another reason is that it is too early to get into college as you have age gaps from other students. I would not recommend you to join any college at this time.

One of the prominent reasons to go for a job is that it would help you to decide about the course for your future. If you are able to start with some labour job and I am sure that with your skills you can get promotion soon.

I would advise you to look for some sales associate or some customer service jobs. You can be a good fit for front desk job as you have an amazing communication skills to attract more customers for the business.

I hope these suggestions would help you out to decide for your futures.

With Love,

Manmeet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state why college might not be suitable, explain the benefits of working, and provide specific job suggestions. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. To reach a higher band, ensure your arguments are more fully developed. For instance, the point about 'age gaps' is slightly unclear and could be expanded to explain how this might affect the social experience or learning environment. Overall, the response is well-focused and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each point, and a closing. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate different ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Another reason is' and 'One of the prominent reasons', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions could be more natural. For example, the connection between the job suggestion and the communication skills could be smoother. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the letter is easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'prominent reasons', 'degree course', and 'sales associate' are appropriate for the context. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'confused either to apply' (should be 'confused about whether to apply') and 'labour job' (which sounds slightly unnatural; 'entry-level position' would be better). While you use some less common vocabulary, there is room for more sophisticated collocations to improve the precision of your writing. The vocabulary is adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips. For example, 'I would suggest you to consider' is incorrect (should be 'I would suggest that you consider' or 'I suggest considering'), and 'you have age gaps from other students' is awkward phrasing. Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and prepositions, such as 'get into college' or 'for your futures'. Despite these errors, the grammar does not impede communication, and you show a good attempt at using varied sentence forms.

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

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