Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-06

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 8.5)

Dear Alex,

I was delighted to receive your letter and hear that you are deciding whether to attend college or start working. Although higher education has many advantages, I honestly believe that getting a job would be a better choice for you.

Firstly, I doubt that you would enjoy college because you have always preferred practical activities to studying from textbooks. Spending several years attending lectures, completing assignments and preparing for examinations could easily become tedious. You have also mentioned that you dislike highly academic environments and learn much better through practical experience.

In contrast, a job would enable you to become financially independent while gaining valuable experience. You could develop communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills, which would boost your confidence and improve your future career prospects. Furthermore, you could always pursue further education later, once you have a clearer idea of your interests.

As for suitable careers, I would recommend retail, hospitality or customer service, as you are friendly, energetic and excellent at dealing with people. An apprenticeship in a skilled trade could also be ideal.

I hope you will consider my advice.

Best wishes,

Sam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explain why college might not be enjoyable for your friend, provide a logical argument for why working is a better alternative, and suggest specific, suitable job types. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the position is consistent throughout the text. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant reasoning, such as the mention of practical experience versus academic environments. You have successfully fulfilled all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Firstly', 'In contrast', 'Furthermore', and 'As for', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The structure is coherent and easy to follow from beginning to end.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and natural range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context of the letter. Phrases like 'financially independent', 'future career prospects', and 'highly academic environments' show a good command of language. The word choices are precise and contribute to the professional yet friendly tone. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is used with flexibility and ease throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You successfully use complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('once you have a clearer idea') and relative clauses ('which would boost your confidence'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to enhance readability. There is a high level of control over grammar, and the writing flows naturally without any distracting slips or inaccuracies.

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

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