Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Raj,

I hope you are doing well. Thanks for your letter; I'm glad you asked for my advice whether you should go to college or start working. After thinking about your personality and interest, I honestly feel that getting a job would be a better choice for you at this stage.

Firstly, i don't think you would particularly enjoy college because you always preferred practical activities instead of sitting in a classrooms and studying for a long hours. you also mentioned that you find academic assignments as well as examinations stressful. Spending several years attending lectures and completing course work might make you feel bored and frustrated.

On the other hand, getting a job would allow you to gain practical experience, develop useful skills, and become financially independent. you could also discover what type of work you genuinely enjoy. In addition, earing your own money would give you greater confidence and independence.

Considering your friendly personality and excellent communication skills, I think you would be perfectly fits in a job like, customer services, retail or hospitality. You could also working as receptionists, where you would interact with people and develop your organizational skills.

I hope my advice helps you to make the right decision. Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will do well.

Best wishes,

Himani

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explain why college might not be suitable for your friend, provide logical reasons for choosing employment, and offer specific, relevant job suggestions. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a consistent and helpful perspective throughout. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as mentioning the stress of academic assignments and the benefits of financial independence. The letter is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each point, and a polite closing. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'On the other hand', and 'In addition' to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct ideas, which enhances the overall readability. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between the ideas is easy to follow. The use of referencing is generally accurate, ensuring that the reader understands the connections between the advice and the friend's situation.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly and naturally. Phrases like 'financially independent', 'genuinely enjoy', and 'excellent communication skills' are used appropriately. While the vocabulary is generally accurate, there are minor slips, such as 'earing' instead of 'earning'. You attempt to use a range of topic-specific vocabulary related to employment and education, which is effective. The language is well-suited to the informal yet advisory tone of the letter, and the minor errors do not impede communication or cause confusion for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. However, there are some recurring grammatical errors that prevent a higher score. For instance, 'sitting in a classrooms' contains an unnecessary article, 'studying for a long hours' is also incorrect, and 'you would be perfectly fits' should be 'you would perfectly fit'. Additionally, there are minor punctuation and capitalization issues, such as the lowercase 'i' in the second paragraph. Despite these errors, the majority of your sentences are clear, and the meaning is never obscured. Increasing your attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage will improve your accuracy.

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