Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-13
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
You work for an international company. You have seen an advertisement for a training course which will be useful for your job.
Write a letter to your manager. In your letter
- describe the training course you want to do
- explain what the company could do to help you
- say how the course will be useful for your job
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Student answer (Band 6.5)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this letter to inform you that yesterday I saw an advertisement in the local newspaper that UVF University will begin a training course for dental students to teach them about new software which is named Tracker.
As you know, I have been working at Hillcrest Family Dental since 2023. My work schedule is Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM; however, my class will start at 10 AM and finish at 3 PM on Friday and Saturday. If you can arrange Fridays for me for 2 months, I could join this program.
This course not only benefits me but also the company, as Dr. Grover discussed in the last meeting that they have a plan to buy Tracker because this software is very easy to use, and the subscription is only 150 dollars each month, whereas the current software costs more than 200 dollars per month. With this course, I can provide training to our receptionists, and the company do not need to hire someone who can help us to learn new software.
I hope you will understand my situatio
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: describing the course, explaining how the company can help, and detailing the benefits. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the letter ends abruptly with an incomplete sentence ('I hope you will understand my situatio'), which is a significant omission. While the ideas are relevant and well-developed, the failure to complete the closing of the letter impacts the overall task completion. To improve, ensure you proofread to avoid such mechanical errors that leave the task unfinished.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the introduction of the course to the request for time off and finally the benefits to the company. Paragraphing is used to separate these distinct ideas, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices like 'however', 'not only... but also', and 'whereas' to link ideas. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the flow of the text. To reach a higher band, ensure that your letter has a complete and formal closing, such as 'Yours sincerely' followed by your name, to maintain professional standards.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'advertisement', 'subscription', and 'receptionists' correctly. You attempt to explain the financial benefits of the software, which shows a good command of relevant professional terminology. There are no major spelling errors, though some phrasing is slightly repetitive. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or synonyms to elevate the tone. For example, instead of saying 'the company do not need to hire someone', you could use 'the company would be spared the expense of recruiting additional staff'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'If you can arrange Fridays for me... I could join this program'. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'the company do not need' (should be 'does not need') and the incomplete final sentence. Despite these, your meaning is clear throughout the letter. To achieve a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that all sentences are fully formed. The use of complex structures is a strength, but accuracy needs to be more consistent to reach the 7.0+ level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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