Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-06

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 Martha,

I hope you are doing good and your trip went great. It gets really tough to keep in touch with my busy schedule but I felt really happy when I got your letter.

I know you dropped out of college years back to take care of your sick mom and now you want to go to college again. But if you are asking my advice I would recommend that you find a stable job for yourself.

First of all, I think you would not enjoy going to college. It's been quite a while since you have left your education and a lot has changed since then. Particularly the syllabus has become more difficult and the examination system is very different now. You will have to study on your computer all the time and the exams are also conducted on the computer. I know you find it difficult to work with the computers, your typing speed is very slow and all this will make your studies very difficult.

Secondly, it will be extremely difficult to finish class projects for you at home, because of your son. He is too young and needs a lot of your time.

On the other hand, I think finding a stable job will be a better option for you. You need to start earning money and start saving some for your son. It will help you better in your career growth. If you study first then you will have to wait atleast four years before you start a job. But this way if you start a job now, in four years there is a good chance that you will get a promotion.

I would suggest you look for a job that does not require a degree. Such as, any data entry job, or an assistant job. I think there is a good chance you would get a job as a chef at a restaurant, because of your great cooking skills. I can vouch that you will be a head chef in four to five years. I have trust that you might even be able to open up your own restaurant in future.

I hope to hear from you soon. Give my love to your son Ahmed.

Best wishes,

Novaira

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the prompt in a friendly and natural semi-formal tone. Novaira adopts a clear position throughout, effectively explaining why Martha would not enjoy college due to changes in technology and the syllabus, as well as her family commitments. Furthermore, the letter presents solid reasons why getting a job is advantageous, while offering practical job suggestions like data entry, assisting, or working as a restaurant chef. The ideas are generally well-extended and supported with relevant personal details about Martha's situation, such as her son Ahmed and her cooking skills. To push into higher bands, some of the points—such as the comparison of waiting four years for a degree versus progressing in a job—could be elaborated with even greater depth and nuance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The tone is set appropriately right from the opening pleasantries, and the ideas are structured into distinct paragraphs that correspond neatly to the bullet points in the prompt. Novaira uses a good range of cohesive devices and signposting language to guide the reader through the letter, such as 'First of all', 'Secondly', and 'On the other hand'. Paragraphing is handled well, ensuring each major point is given its own space. To achieve a higher score, referencing and substitution could be managed with slightly more flexibility to make the overall flow even more seamless and less reliant on standard transitional markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating everyday concepts and personal advice. There are successful attempts to use less common items and appropriate phrases, such as 'stable job', 'career growth', and 'great cooking skills'. However, the lexical control shows some slight inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as writing 'doing good' instead of 'doing well', or 'left your education' rather than 'stopped studying'. Spelling is generally accurate, and word choices never impede communication, but elevating the precision of phrasing and reducing minor collocation slips would bring the lexical range closer to the next band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

Novaira demonstrates a comfortable mix of simple and complex sentence forms, successfully employing subordinate clauses and conditional structures like 'If you study first then you will have to wait atleast four years'. There is a good variety of verb tenses used appropriately across the letter. However, a number of grammatical slips persist, such as article omissions ('work with the computers' instead of 'computers'), preposition errors ('wait atleast four years' instead of 'at least'), and punctuation choices. While these errors rarely impede communication and there are many error-free sentences, the persistence of these minor inaccuracies places the grammar firmly at this level. Greater control over articles and prepositions will secure a higher grade.

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