Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-03

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 Jaivik,

I hope this letter finds you well. Its been a long time since we talked.

I received your letter regarding a decision whether to attend the college or get the job. I personally think that you should try to the job. You would not enjoy college because here in Canada, the college is only about theories. And, I know how much you like to code. Therefore, I believe getting a job would be a better idea. Since job market is booming nowadays, I am pretty sure that you will get into any IT company.

You should go with Gen AI developer job because this job is not only in demand but also high paying. Moreover, you are already advanced in python. That's why it will be easy for you to work.

If you are still confused, free feel to call me. We can meet later. Do convey my regards to your family.

Yours truly,

Sam Mistry

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining why college might not be enjoyable, why a job is a better alternative, and suggesting a specific career path. Your position is clear from the beginning, and the tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. To improve, you could expand slightly on the 'why' behind your advice. For example, instead of just stating college is 'only about theories,' you could contrast this with the practical, hands-on experience gained in the workplace. This would add more depth to your argument and better demonstrate your ability to develop ideas fully.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Therefore,' 'Moreover,' and 'That's why' to link your ideas. While the progression is clear, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the transition between the college critique and the job recommendation is smoother. Paragraphing is used correctly to separate the different points of your argument, which helps the reader follow your train of thought easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'booming,' 'theories,' and 'in demand.' However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'try to the job' (should be 'try to get a job') and 'free feel to call me' (should be 'feel free to call me'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive structures. Your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'Its been a long time' (should be 'It's'), 'attend the college' (should be 'attend college'), and 'Since job market is booming' (missing an article: 'the job market'). These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable but do not impede communication. To improve, focus on article usage (a/the) and subject-verb agreement. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures would also help demonstrate better control over grammar.

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

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