Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-14

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,

Thanks for your letter — I know this is a big decision, so here's my honest take: I think a job would suit you far better than university right now.

Be honest with yourself: you've never been one for sitting through lectures or writing long essays, and you thrive when you're doing something hands-on rather than studying theory. Three or four years of classroom-based study would probably leave you bored and frustrated rather than fulfilled.

Going straight into work, on the other hand, would let you start earning immediately, build real experience, and learn skills on the job instead of racking up student debt. You've always been good with people and quick to pick things up practically, which matters far more in the workplace than exam results.

Given your strengths, I'd look at roles in retail management, sales, or event coordination — all offer room to grow and let your people skills shine from day one.

Let me know what you decide!

Lots of love,

Shaminder

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task prompt in a natural and engaging manner. The writer successfully explains why Sam would not enjoy college, pointing out that he has 'never been one for sitting through lectures or writing long essays'. Furthermore, the benefits of getting a job are clearly articulated, mentioning financial independence and practical skill development ('earn immediately, build real experience'). Finally, specific and suitable job types are suggested, namely 'retail management, sales, or event coordination'. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a clear position throughout. The bullet points from the prompt are thoroughly covered and well-developed, resulting in a strong performance for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and the letter flows smoothly from the initial advice to the detailed reasons and finally to job suggestions. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function (opening, addressing college, addressing work, suggesting roles, and closing). Cohesive devices such as 'on the other hand' and 'given your strengths' are managed well to guide the reader through the argument. Referencing is clear throughout, making the progression of ideas seamless and unobtrusive.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The writer demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for a general correspondence task. Words and phrases such as 'hands-on', 'classroom-based study', 'racking up student debt', and 'event coordination' show a high degree of natural control and precision. There is good collocation and style awareness throughout the letter. While the vocabulary is not overly academic, it is sophisticated enough for the context and exhibits skilful use of less common items without any noticeable inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a wide variety of grammatical structures, including conditional and participial phrases such as 'Given your strengths, I'd look at...' and 'instead of racking up student debt'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled with great control, including the effective use of colons and dashes for emphasis. There are no noticeable grammatical errors or awkward structures that impede communication, demonstrating a high level of grammatical control.

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

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