Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23

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 Mehak,

How are you? I am writing this letter to give the advice about going to college or to try to get a job. Personally, I would suggest you that you should try to find a new job.

Honestly, you will not enjoy going to college at this stage as you will not be having the common friend circle (our college gang) and it would not be that much fun. Also, It would take you lots of time to catch the study as it's already the mid of the semester and you will find it difficult.

You should try to find a new job related to your background. You should make a new resume and try to apply for the jobs related to your field of study. I know sometimes it gets very exhaustic when you cannot find a job but you keep on trying.

You can also start by applying for the jobs like receptionist, call centre, and maybe you can try for event planner as you have a good taste in decoration.

I hope you will my advice helpful and start looking for a job with the positive hope.

Yours Lovingly

Gunveer Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt effectively. You clearly state why college might not be enjoyable, explain the benefits of working, and provide specific job suggestions. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and your position is consistent throughout. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the 'why' behind your advice; for instance, explaining how a job might provide more practical experience than college would add depth to your argument. Overall, the task is fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Also', 'Honestly', and 'You can also start by', which help the flow of ideas. However, the transition between sentences could be smoother. For example, the jump from discussing college to job hunting is a bit abrupt. Using a wider variety of linking words or phrases to connect your thoughts would improve the overall cohesion of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'exhaustic' (though this is a non-standard form of 'exhausting') and 'background'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it is somewhat basic. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items. For instance, instead of 'catch the study', you could use 'keep up with the coursework'. Your word choice is generally functional but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'I would suggest you that you should' (should be 'I would suggest that you...') and 'it's already the mid of the semester' (should be 'the middle of the semester'). Additionally, 'exhaustic' is not a standard English word. While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and refining your use of complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.