Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02

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 Lovepreet

I am writing this letter to suggest whether to join a new job or continue your studies. I am glad that you prefer to take advice from me. So, my advice is not to start college now because this is the right time and right age to use your skills for your career and economic growth.

You are currently in your 20s, this is the best age to focus on fulfilling your goals and start earning. Since you are already good at computer skills. Once you begin working as a part-time or full-time computer mentor, you will be able to utilize your earnings in any type of trading. This could be the best way to grow in your life on your own.

There is not only one job related to computers, but there are many options available, such as computer tutor, MS-Excel operator, computer programmer, Health administrator and so on. You can choose any of them as per your skills and capabilities.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Best wishes,

Anu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly state your preference for the friend to work rather than study, explain why college might not be the best choice, and provide specific job examples. However, the explanation of why college would not be enjoyable is somewhat underdeveloped; you focus more on the benefits of working rather than explicitly detailing the drawbacks of college life. To reach a higher band, ensure each bullet point is given equal weight and depth. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose is clear from the beginning.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Since you are already' and 'Once you begin', to link ideas. However, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph could be smoother. Additionally, some sentences feel slightly disjointed. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is consistent would improve the flow and help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'economic growth', 'utilize', and 'capabilities'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'suggest whether to join a new job', which is slightly unnatural; 'advise you on whether to start a job' would be more precise. You also use 'trading' in a context that is slightly unclear. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly, incorporating more precise collocations and a slightly wider range of topic-specific vocabulary would elevate your writing to a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'You are currently in your 20s, this is the best age...', which should be joined with a conjunction or separated by a semicolon. Another error is 'suggest whether to join a new job', where 'suggest' is used incorrectly with an infinitive structure. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. To improve, focus on sentence boundary punctuation and ensuring that complex structures are grammatically sound.

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

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