Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-30

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 Salma,

I hope you are doing fine. I am sorry I could not respond to your letter earlier as I was swamped with my office project. Fortunately, I am free now and would be happy to guide you in a best possible way about either going to college or getting a job.

I recall the days when you used to score A+ grade in the coding assignments and even after school hours you used to do freelance projects related to coding and web development.

Choosing a right path after high school is a difficult decision. I believe based on your expertise in coding and web development, even if you join college, you would not enjoy study as much you love designing new websites and making new apps.

The job that you are offered in this start-up is very promising. You will get a chance to work with brilliant people from different cities. Your future will be great in terms of career growth and professional development.

Since you are offered two positions here, one in the development department and second in the testing section, I believe based on your interest in developing new apps and doing different trials, you should choose development section. It will align with your interest and future job demands as well.

I hope you will agree with my point of view. Please let me know if any further support is requied.

Best wishes,

Nirma Shaheen

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task prompt. You appropriately addressed why Salma would not enjoy college given her passion for coding and web development. You explained clearly why getting a job at the start-up is a great idea for her career growth and professional development, and you successfully suggested suitable positions within the company (specifically recommending the development department over testing). The tone is friendly, appropriate for a General Training letter to a friend, and all bullet points are well-developed and supported with relevant details like her previous freelance projects. Therefore, this fulfills the Band 8 criteria well.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

Your letter shows a very clear and logical organization from start to finish. The progression of ideas flows naturally, moving from your greeting and the reason for writing, to her background, why college might not suit her, and finally to the job offer and your specific recommendation. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating each distinct point into its own clear paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'Fortunately', 'even if', and 'Since you are offered' are handled well to connect ideas smoothly without feeling overly mechanical or forced.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suited for a professional yet friendly correspondence. Phrases like 'swamped with my office project', 'professional development', and 'align with your interest' show good word choice. There are only a few minor slips or awkward lexical choices, such as writing 'study' instead of 'studying' in 'you would not enjoy study as much you love', and a missing article in 'Choosing a right path' instead of 'Choosing the right path'. These minor inaccuracies do not impede communication, earning a solid Band 7 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writing contains a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'even if you join college, you would not enjoy study as much you love...'). The majority of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound. However, there are a few minor grammatical errors, such as 'requied' (spelling slip for required), missing articles ('in a best possible way' should be 'in the best possible way'), and a slight prepositional mismatch ('enjoy study as much you love' missing 'as'). Because these errors do not impede understanding and you show good control overall, a score of 7.0 is well-deserved.

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