Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-14

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 Ish,

I hope you are doing well. I recieved your letter yesterday in which you were asking about my opinion to go to college or to try to get a job. Honestly, I think you should get a job first and become financially stable considering the responsibilities you have on your shoulders. You would not be able to focus or enjoy college because of the financial tension going in your family.Your younger brother needs to complete the high school and you have to manage the expenses for him as well. I know you really wanted to do the Masters of Computer Science but you can persue it when things get settled.

You already have your bachelors in computer science. This can lead to many high paying jobs in IT sector such as support technician, software tester and many more. I have a friend who is working in the same field, he would love to help you get the job.

Lots of love.

Yours truly,

Muskan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address all three points and maintain a clear recommendation to seek work first. The reason college may not suit Ish is supported with relevant personal circumstances: family financial pressure and responsibility for a younger brother. You also explain the benefits of employment through financial stability and connect his computer science degree to suitable roles, naming support technician and software tester. The offer of help from your friend adds a personal, practical detail. To make the response more fully developed, explain more specifically why these jobs fit Ish’s interests or strengths, and expand briefly on how working could help him pursue his master’s later. The ideas are clear and supported, though some are stated rather generally.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear progression: you respond to Ish’s question, explain why college may be difficult now, then recommend work and give examples of jobs. The paragraph break helps distinguish the reasons from the job suggestions, and the closing is appropriate for a friend. Linking phrases such as “because of” and “as well” help connect related points. However, the first paragraph contains several ideas in one block, and the transition from family responsibilities to the master’s degree could be smoother. The reference in “he would love to help you” is understandable, but naming your friend again would make it clearer. More deliberate paragraphing and varied links would make the organisation feel less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal advice letter, including relevant terms such as “financially stable,” “financial tension,” “responsibilities,” and “software tester.” These choices make your recommendation and the employment options clear. There are, however, some spelling and word-choice or collocation errors: “recieved” and “persue” are misspelled, while “the Masters of Computer Science” and “high paying jobs in IT sector” are not natural forms. “Financial tension going in your family” is also awkwardly expressed. These slips do not prevent understanding, but more accurate spelling and natural collocations would strengthen the letter. Aim to use precise, idiomatic phrases rather than translating expressions directly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including the reason clause in “You would not be able to focus or enjoy college because…” and the relative clause “in which you were asking…”. Most of the message remains easy to understand, but some grammatical errors occur. For example, “you were asking about my opinion to go” needs a more suitable construction, and “Your younger brother needs to complete the high school” has an unnecessary article. The sentence beginning “I have a friend…” joins two independent clauses with a comma; use a full stop or a conjunction. Add a space after the full stop before “Your.” Greater control of clause structure, articles, and punctuation would improve accuracy.

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