Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-12
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 Sam,
It was great to hear from you. I have been thinking about your question about whether you should go to college or start working. In my opinion, getting a job would be a better choice for you.
First of all, I do not think you would enjoy college very much. You have always preferred practical activities to studying from books, and you often find long hours of studying boring. College would require you to attend lectures, complete assignments and prepare for examinations. I think you would become frustrated with this routine after a short time.
On the other hand, getting a job would give you the chance to earn money and become more independent. You could also gain valuable work experience and learn useful skills while discovering what kind of career you really want. If you change your mind in the future, your work experience could also help you decide whether further education is worthwhile.
As you are friendly and good at communicating with people, I think you would be suitable for jobs such as working in a shop, a hotel or a travel agency. You could also consider becoming a sales assistant or a customer-service representative. These jobs would allow you to meet different people and use your communication skills.
I hope my advice helps you make the right decision. Whatever you choose, I am sure you will do well.
Best wishes,
Alex
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the task prompt in a clear and natural manner. The writer successfully adopts a friendly and advising tone suitable for a letter to a friend. For the first bullet point, the student gives clear reasons why the friend would not enjoy college, mentioning a preference for practical activities over studying from books and frustration with long lecture hours. For the second bullet point, the benefits of getting a job are well explained, such as earning money, gaining independence, and discovering career interests. Finally, the letter suggests specific suitable job types, including working in a shop, a hotel, or as a customer-service representative. The position is well-developed throughout and all requirements are thoroughly covered, deserving a strong band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear overall progression. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: introduction, reasons against college, benefits of a job, suitable job suggestions, and a polite sign-off. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively to connect ideas, such as 'First of all', 'On the other hand', and 'As you are friendly'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different points, making the letter very easy to read and follow. There are no abrupt transitions or confusing referencing, demonstrating skillful management of cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The student uses a sufficient and natural range of vocabulary appropriate for an informal letter to a friend while maintaining a polite tone. Examples of good phrasing include 'practical activities', 'become frustrated with this routine', 'independent', and 'customer-service representative'. There are occasional common expressions, but the vocabulary is precise enough to convey the intended meaning without any strain on the reader. Spelling and word choice are accurate throughout the response.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The writing displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, showing strong control over grammar and punctuation. The majority of sentences are completely error-free. The student successfully incorporates conditional and modal structures, such as 'If you change your mind in the future, your work experience could also help you decide...' and 'you would be suitable for jobs such as...'. Punctuation is accurate, and verb tenses are handled consistently and correctly throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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