Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-01

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 Sam,

I hope this letter finds you well.

I am so happy to hear that you completed your secondary school with good grades. I know now you are currently confused whether to choose work or college. Do not worry, I am here to help you.

I would highly suggest you to start working first. It can help you to get a break from studies and give you enough time to choose your passion. This way, you can look on universities and colleges without any pressure. I believe that starting college right away would not only make it hard for you to concentrate but also keep you financial dependent on your parents, saving some money this year will definitely helps you later on.

I would recommend looking for entry-level jobs such as salesperson, a kitchen helper, a barista or customer service representative. This roles offer flexible hours, require no-prior experience and will help you build good communication skills.

Hope this helps! Let me know what you decide.

Warm regards

Prabhjot Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points and make your recommendation clear: “I would highly suggest you to start working first.” You also explain that work could provide a break from study, time to consider future choices, and some financial independence, then give several suitable entry-level roles. This meets the task well. However, the reasons your friend might not enjoy college are only partly developed: difficulty concentrating and dependence on parents are mentioned, but not explained in relation to Sam’s preferences or circumstances. The job benefits are relevant, though “build good communication skills” could be supported with a brief example. Developing these points more specifically would make the advice more convincing and complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear progression: you acknowledge Sam’s situation, give your recommendation and reasons, suggest jobs, and close warmly. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and links such as “This way” and “I believe” help connect the advice to its explanation. The tone is appropriate for a friend, with a friendly opening and closing. Some connections could be more precise: “This way” refers broadly to taking a break and choosing a passion, while the link to researching colleges could be stated more directly. The list of jobs also arrives quite abruptly after the financial point. A short transition explaining how these roles suit Sam would make the progression smoother and the cohesion more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a personal advice letter, including relevant phrases such as “entry-level jobs,” “flexible hours,” and “customer service representative.” These choices communicate the practical nature of your suggestions, and the friendly register is consistent. Some wording is imprecise or awkward, however: “choose your passion” is less natural than describing a career interest, and “keep you financial dependent” uses the wrong form and collocation. “Completed your secondary school” is also not idiomatic. These issues do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Aim for familiar, accurate collocations rather than adding more complex vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and more complex structures, including the paired construction “would not only make it hard for you to concentrate but also keep you…” and the sentence explaining how work could help. Meaning remains clear throughout. Some grammatical errors persist: “suggest you to start” should be “suggest that you start” or “recommend starting”; “This roles” needs plural agreement; and “will definitely helps” should be “will definitely help.” In “saving some money this year will definitely helps you later on,” the participial opening also makes the relationship between the ideas less controlled. Review verb patterns, subject–verb agreement, and sentence boundaries to improve accuracy while retaining your varied structures.

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

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