Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-14

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

During a recent plane journey, you sat next to a businessman who owns a chain of restaurants. You talked to him and he suggested that you should contact him about a possible job in one of his restaurants.

Write a letter to this businessman. In your letter

• remind him when and where you met
• tell him what kind of job you are interested in
• say why you think you would be suitable for the job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Dear Brian,

I hope you are doing well, and my letter is intended to inquire about the food place manager in your business.

We met in flight flying from Toronto to Calgary on July 20 of this year and had a long valuable and memorable conversation sitting on adjacent seats. Also, I was advised to contact you regarding head chef position available at one of your outlets in Toronto.

Based upon my keen interest and passion towards cooking, I would like to continue working in kitchen, especially where making dishes from scratch is required and trying new recipes are encouraged.

I have worked for different restaurants over my fifteen years of cooking career, and won multiple cooking championships around the globe, and trained multiple kitchen staff.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: reminding the recipient of the meeting, stating the desired job, and explaining suitability. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which limits the development of ideas. While the purpose is clear, the brevity prevents a full, professional expansion of the candidate's qualifications. To reach a higher band, you must elaborate on your experience and provide a more formal closing, ensuring the total word count meets the task instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. There is a clear progression of ideas from the initial meeting to the job inquiry and finally to the candidate's suitability. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical (e.g., 'Also, I was advised...'). The transition between the meeting details and the job application is abrupt. Improving the flow between sentences using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the overall coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be understood clearly. You have used some relevant professional terms like 'outlets', 'head chef', and 'from scratch'. However, there are some awkward collocations, such as 'food place manager' and 'in flight flying', which sound unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise professional terminology and collocations appropriate for a formal business letter. The range of vocabulary is currently limited, preventing a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in flight', 'working in kitchen') and minor punctuation issues. Some sentences are slightly fragmented or lack necessary prepositions. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. You should focus on proofreading for articles and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with correct grammatical agreement.

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

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