Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-21

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 Swathy,

Hope this letter finds you well.

I have received your letter few days ago and i was swamped with my work, which is why my response got delayed. I am so happy for your decision and i would suggest you to choose work for now rather than college.

I know that you have not done anything for the last few years due to your family concerns. If you would enroll any colleges , i dont think you would get enough enjoyment as you need financial independence to take care of your tuition fees and other living expenses.

If you rather take a job would give you enough financial freedom and through that you can build a better career.

In my company, there are some openings in accounting positions since you have master degree in Accounting. I will check with my Human Resource department for any referral options.

I am really looking for a better professional life in you. Please share your updated resume as early as you can.

Yours Sincerely,

Jeethu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: explaining why college might not be enjoyable, why a job is a better option, and suggesting specific roles. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation regarding why the friend would not enjoy college is brief and relies on a single point about financial independence. To reach a higher band, the ideas could be expanded with more personal detail or nuanced reasoning. The position is clear throughout, and the letter follows the required format.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different points requested in the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'which is why', 'if', and 'since' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, although the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Overall, the message is easy to follow, and the progression of ideas is logical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some good collocations like 'financial independence', 'living expenses', and 'professional life'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'I have received your letter few days ago' (missing 'a') and 'I am really looking for a better professional life in you' (which is slightly unnatural). The range of vocabulary is sufficient but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include 'i was swamped' (capitalization error), 'If you would enroll any colleges' (incorrect verb tense/preposition), and 'If you rather take a job would give you' (grammatical structure error). These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a lack of full control over complex structures, which prevents a higher score.

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

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