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 Jatin,

I hope you are doing well. Last Sunday, I received your letter and I am writing to give the advice to take a job as your next step towards your career journey.

I believe that going to college is not the best idea for you and you won't enjoy it because you might end up wasting your 4 years just to get a degree.

I would suggest that getting a job at an early stage would give you more practical knowledge and financial freedom. Nowadays, employers seek for the experience, rather than the college degrees. Therefore, as early you start your job, the more chances of getting senior position you will get in future.

I think electro-mechanical technicians roles would be more suitable to you as I know you have keen interest working with machines. Once, you get enough experience, you can also apply for the skill certification, which may land you better job opportunity with attractive salary in the near future.

If you want to know more about it, we can plan to meet on this weekend. Awaiting for your response.

Thanks and regards,

Urvesh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task effectively. You clearly explain why college might not be the best path, provide a logical argument for entering the workforce, and suggest a specific job role. Your 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' regarding the college experience, perhaps by mentioning the potential for student debt or the specific nature of the academic environment, to add more depth to your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a distinct point, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Nowadays', and 'Once' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences feels more natural rather than relying on standard signposting words at the start of every sentence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for this task, such as 'practical knowledge', 'financial freedom', and 'skill certification'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'seek for the experience' (should be 'seek experience') and 'as early you start' (should be 'the earlier you start'). While these do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on correct collocations and refining your use of comparative structures will help you achieve a more sophisticated tone.

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 slips, such as 'give the advice to take a job' (should be 'give you advice to take a job'), 'technicians roles' (should be 'technician roles'), and 'meet on this weekend' (should be 'meet this weekend'). While these errors are frequent, they do not cause confusion for the reader. To improve, pay closer attention to article usage and prepositional phrases, and aim for more error-free sentences in your complex constructions.

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

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