Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Milan,

I hope you're doing well. I am glad to hear that you're seeking advice on your career goals.

To be honest, I highly advice you to look for a job that truly interests you. Since you've graduated in medical field. I do not think that you should be attending college as they would require a huge amount of money. Without proper financial plan and stable employment, enrolling in college might be stressful. Therefore, I would strongly suggest to apply in hospitals as a laboratory technician or phlebotomist near to your hometown, which will give you a clear idea how to work in professional settings. I am sure this role will be a great fit for you mainly because you'll get a chance to take on hands-on experience. On top of that, it will not only make you more independent and confident but also help you grow professionally.

Write back soon! Let me know your plans!

Best wishes,

Payal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all bullet points required by the prompt in a friendly and appropriate semi-formal tone. First, you address why your friend might not enjoy or benefit from college by explaining that it would require a huge amount of money and might be stressful without a proper financial plan. Second, you clearly explain why getting a job is a good idea, noting that it will provide a clear idea of professional settings, make your friend more independent and confident, and foster professional growth. Finally, you suggest specific types of jobs suitable for your friend's background, recommending roles as a laboratory technician or phlebotomist in hospitals. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the position is fully maintained throughout. All aspects of the task are adequately developed, earning a solid band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear beginning, middle, and end, following standard letter-writing conventions. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving naturally from acknowledging the letter to discussing financial drawbacks of college, and finally suggesting practical career options. You make effective use of cohesive devices and signposting language such as 'To be honest', 'Therefore', 'On top of that', and 'Let me know your plans!'. Paragraphing is handled appropriately, with the main body concentrated in a well-structured paragraph that groups related ideas together seamlessly. Referencing is clear throughout, and the overall flow supports easy reading.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your lexical resource is generally adequate and well-suited to the context of career advice. You successfully employ less common and topic-specific vocabulary items, such as 'career goals', 'financial plan', 'stable employment', 'laboratory technician', 'phlebotomist', and 'hands-on experience'. However, there is a minor lexical choice error in the phrase 'I highly advice you', where the noun 'advice' is incorrectly used instead of the verb 'advise'. Despite this minor slip, the range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey precise meaning with a natural awareness of style and collocation, allowing for a comfortable reading experience.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, featuring subordinate clauses and participial phrases (e.g., 'Since you've graduated in medical field', 'which will give you a clear idea how to work in professional settings'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and your control of punctuation is generally sound. Aside from the aforementioned spelling/word choice slip ('advice' instead of 'advise') and a missing article in 'graduated in medical field' (which should be 'graduated in the medical field'), grammar errors are minimal and do not impede communication. Your control over complex grammatical forms is evident and effective.

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

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