Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-24
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 6.0)
Dear John,
I received your letter a few days ago. I am extremely glad that you have completed your school.In your letter you requested advice about choosing between college and job. From my point of view, I believe you should look for a job.
As far as I know you, you never liked studying. You were always bunking class and going to play sports. I still remember that day, when your father visited our school and found that you were not in the class. He was so angry and he grounded for a week. In college, you have to study regularly to pass the courses and study materials are more advanced as a result I believe you would not enjoy going to college.
Since you like sports. getting a job in a sports academy will be an excellent option for you. You will be able to coach people as well as play different sports. Moreover, you will be earning money for something you like doing.
I will suggest you to try getting a job in a sports academy or in sports club. Both will be suitable for you.
Yours truly
Jamil
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain why college might not be suitable for your friend, provide a logical argument for why a job is a better alternative, and suggest specific types of employment. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the position is consistent throughout. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the benefits of the job beyond just earning money, perhaps by mentioning the development of practical skills or the enjoyment of the work environment, which would further develop your ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is logically organised into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'As far as I know' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally slightly mechanical. For example, the transition between the anecdote about your friend's father and the conclusion about college could be smoother. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'He was so angry and he grounded for a week'—it is missing an object (e.g., 'grounded you'). Improving the variety of linking words would help the text flow more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. You use relevant terms like 'sports academy' and 'advanced'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'completed your school' (should be 'finished school' or 'graduated') and 'bunking class' (which is informal but acceptable in this context). The phrasing 'study materials are more advanced as a result I believe' is slightly awkward. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive structures. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly throughout the letter.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips. For instance, 'He was so angry and he grounded for a week' is missing the object 'you'. There is also a punctuation error in 'Since you like sports. getting a job...', where the sentence is incorrectly fragmented. Additionally, 'I will suggest you to try getting a job' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'I suggest that you try' or 'I suggest trying'. Increasing your control over complex sentence structures and proofreading for minor errors would improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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