Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-28

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 John,

I hope you are doing well. How are things with you and your family? I am feeling so happy that you need my advice regarding your future.

Firstly, according to my experience, I think finding a job is an excellent idea because it helps you to gain some skills that are beneficial for your future. Moreover, that does not mean you quit your studies; you can enrol in online classes that provide you an opportunity to do both work and study.

Furthermore, as I know you have a keen interest in marketing, try to enrol in that course and also find a job in that field so that in future you know how to handle business effectively, and that also helps you to fulfil your aim of setting up a supermarket. This type of course and job helps you to gain experience and also helps you to think like a businessman.

Honestly, I think you should need to apply for a job in a retail grocery store because in a retail store you learn about customer service, customers' expectations, inventory management, and, one of the most important things, how to manage conflicts. These skills help you in future when you set up your own business.

I hope you like my suggestion.

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Lots of love,

Sargun

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response covers all parts of the task well, establishing a natural tone suitable for a general training letter to a friend. You clearly state your position right away, explaining why finding a job is beneficial rather than going straight to college. You mention that a job helps build practical skills and allows for flexible alternatives like online study. You also suggest a specific type of suitable job, namely working in a retail grocery store, and explain how it connects to his future goal of setting up a supermarket by teaching customer service and inventory management. However, the first bullet point asking you to 'say why he/she would not enjoy going to college' is addressed somewhat implicitly by focusing heavily on the benefits of working instead of detailing why college might be unenjoyable or unsuitable for him personally. Despite this minor imbalance, the ideas are well-developed and the tone is consistently appropriate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter is coherent and easy to follow, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. You use standard informal letter conventions, such as 'Dear John,' and 'Lots of love, Sargun.' Paragraphing is used logically to separate different points, such as the general benefits of working, marketing interests, and retail job suggestions. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas together, using transition markers like 'Firstly,' 'Moreover,' 'Furthermore,' and 'Honestly.' While some of these cohesive devices feel slightly mechanical or repetitive in an informal context, they nevertheless establish clear logical organisation and progression throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an appropriate range of terms related to business and employment, such as 'beneficial,' 'marketing,' 'inventory management,' and 'conflict.' There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though a few awkward word choices occur, such as saying 'according to my experience' instead of 'in my experience' or 'you should need to apply' which blends two modal structures. Spelling is accurate throughout, and word formation is generally solid. Communication is never impeded by lexical limitations, placing the response comfortably within the competent range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and conditional ideas like 'so that in future you know how to handle business effectively.' There are some grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'I am feeling so happy that you need my advice' and 'you should need to apply for a job.' Additionally, punctuation is generally sound, and the majority of simple sentences are accurate. Although errors in complex structures persist, they rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to follow your advice and reasoning without difficulty.

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