Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-03

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 6.5)

Dear Mr. Salvatore,

I hope you are doing well. This is Samantha Davis, the girl you met on the flight from Chicago to New York on August 8, 2025. You insisted me to contact as soon as I land. As we discussed on the flight about my academic career and how you suggested me to get a part time job, I was hoping to get a job at your prestigious restaurant in New York.

Since you recommended that working part time in a chain of restaurants will look good on resume while pursuing my bachelors in culinary school, I thought to give it a shot. I'm doing majors in becoming a Chef so I was hoping to get a position as a Sue Chef in your famous restaurant.

I believe that this opportunity will elevate my journey in becoming a Chef at a Michelin star restaurant like yours. I think this job will help me shape my career. I would be highly obliged if you give me this chance.

Thanking you,

Best Regards,

Samantha Davis

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identify the context of the meeting, specify your interest in a part-time role, and provide a rationale for your suitability by mentioning your culinary studies. The tone is generally appropriate for a professional letter, though it leans slightly informal in places. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, providing enough detail for the recipient to understand your background and intentions. To improve, ensure you maintain a consistent professional tone throughout, as some phrasing feels slightly conversational for a business communication.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with a clear progression from the introduction to the request and the justification. Paragraphing is used, though the letter would benefit from a more distinct separation between the introduction, the body, and the closing. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Since' and 'I believe that', which help link ideas. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical. The flow is generally smooth, and the reader can easily follow the narrative of your meeting and your subsequent request. Using a wider variety of linking words would further enhance the professional flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'prestigious', 'culinary school', and 'Michelin star'. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'Sue Chef' (which should be 'Sous Chef') and 'doing majors in becoming a Chef' (which is slightly unnatural phrasing). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Focusing on correct terminology for your field and more natural collocations will help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that slightly affect the flow, such as 'You insisted me to contact' (should be 'You insisted that I contact' or 'You encouraged me to contact') and 'suggested me to get' (should be 'suggested that I get'). Additionally, 'I thought to give it a shot' is too informal for this context. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful attention to verb patterns and formal sentence construction. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will improve your score.

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

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