Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-16
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 7.0)
Dear Sam,
It was great to hear from you. I'm really glad that you reached out, but to be completely honest, I don't think going to college would suit you right now. You've always hated sitting through long, theoretical lectures and spending hours studying for exams papers. Higher education involves a lot of academic research and essay writing, which I know would quickly leave you feel bored and frustrated.
Instead, I strongly believe that getting a right job always is the best choice for you. You choose your passion make that as a job, so that you gives it you both mental peace and satisfaction. Joining workforce now will let you start earning your own income immediately, gain valuable real-world experience and build financial independence years ahead of our peers who choose to study full-time.
Give your strength to your passion and make an entry level associate and try to gain maximum experience and then create a path to grow and flourish and make your own world.
Let's catch up this weekend to chat more about it!
Your's friendly,
Manu
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response successfully covers all bullet points required by the task prompt. You clearly explain why Sam would not enjoy college by pointing out his dislike of theoretical lectures and essay writing. You effectively provide reasons why getting a job is a good idea, such as earning an independent income and gaining real-world experience. Furthermore, you suggest suitable paths by advising him to look for entry-level associate positions to build his career. The tone is appropriate for writing to a friend, maintaining a friendly and advisory register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and fulfil all requirements of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is logically organised with a clear beginning, middle, and end, moving smoothly from addressing Sam's college dilemma to offering employment advice and concluding with weekend plans. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points, such as the critique of college versus the advantages of working. Cohesive devices like 'Instead', 'Higher education involves', and 'Joining workforce now' are generally used well to guide the reader, although there is a minor misconnection in the final paragraph where the transition feels slightly abrupt. Overall, information flows logically and the progression is easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate and appropriate for a semi-formal or friendly letter. You use some good less common phrases such as 'theoretical lectures', 'financial independence', and 'real-world experience'. However, there are a few word choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'leaving you feel bored' (should be 'feeling'), 'getting a right job always' (awkward phrasing), and 'gives it you both mental peace'. Despite these minor lexical slips, the range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly and effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The letter displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses ('who choose to study full-time') and conditional concepts. However, there are several grammatical errors scattered throughout the text. Examples include 'leave you feel bored', the word order in 'getting a right job always is the best choice', 'so that you gives it you', and the sign-off 'Your's friendly'. While these errors are noticeable and require the reader to occasionally reinterpret the meaning, they do not completely impede communication. Good control is shown in longer sentences, but accuracy needs improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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