Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-07-28

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A friend of yours is thinking about applying for the same course that you did at university. He/She has asked for your advice about studying this subject. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter

• give details of the course you took at the university
• explain why you recommend the university
• give some advice about how to apply

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

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

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear John,

Its been a while since we last caught up. I am so glad to hear from you as I have just received your letter. I will try to share as much information as I can, from my own experience to answer your questions.

First of all, I appreciate your choice of university because it has always been considered the best institution for studying Information technology. I am really proud to be a graduate of this prestigious institution and to secure a very rewarding career after graduating from master's degree in Information technology.

Top-class infrastructure and the globally recognized academic professionals are the most prominent reason of choosing this university. They will make sure that you have been provided with the best and practical knowledge to survive the cut-throat competition in the industry. Moreover, there are students from different parts of the world to give you the international exposure.

I would suggest you to apply online by filling out an application form that begins in April every year. Please note that there is a test to get selected in this course. so, make sure to prepare in advance. Good news is that you can secure a scholarship if you get good scores in this test.

I hope you will make best decision after considering all the factors and I wish you success in your future.

Yours Sincerely

Gurpreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You provided details about the Information Technology course, explained the benefits of the university (infrastructure and international exposure), and offered clear advice on the application process, including the entrance test and scholarship opportunities. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are relevant and sufficiently developed to meet the requirements of the task. No parts of the prompt were omitted, and the response remains focused on the topic from start to finish.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs covering specific requirements, and a closing. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different points. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Moreover', and 'Please note that' are used to guide the reader through the text. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to reach a higher band. For instance, the connection between the application process and the scholarship could be linked more fluidly. Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner that is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context, using terms like 'prestigious institution', 'globally recognized', and 'cut-throat competition'. There is an attempt to use less common collocations, which is positive. However, there are minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'reason of choosing' (should be 'reason for choosing') and 'make best decision' (should be 'make the best decision'). Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly and effectively throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'Its been a while' (should be 'It's'), 'master's degree' (should be 'a master's degree'), and 'get selected in this course' (should be 'get selected for this course'). Additionally, there is a minor punctuation error where a new sentence starts with a lowercase 'so'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound, showing a reasonable level of control.

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