Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-24
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
Your English-speaking friend who lives in your town has asked for your advice about learning a new sport. Write an email to your friend. In your email:
- recommend a new sport that would be suitable for your friend to learn
- explain how your friend could learn this sport
- suggest that you both learn this sport together
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ....................................,
Student answer (Band 8.0)
Dear John,
It has been a long time since I have heard from you. I hope you and your family are doing well.
I am writing this to suggest you a new sport that you could learn in you leisure time. To be more precise, I am talking about learning volleyball. Since you might have either heard from locals or you might have seen advertisements regarding local volleyball players a lot in town, because Thunder Bay is really famous for its volleyball tournaments.
Moreover, I am aware how enthusiastic sportsman you are; therefore, I believe that learning volleyball in this town would serve great opportunity for you not only will this help you stay fit but will also help you to make connections. Apart from this, I have been informed by my professor that the officials of city of Thunder Bay are organizing free coaching for beginners who don't know how to play volleyball as well as they also have opened a new volleyball club for the members.
Although I am an excellent volleyball player, I am thinking to take free coaching in order to learn new techniques and strategies. Furthermore, I have heard the rumors that the coaching sessions will be taken by retired Olympic player, who has also received numerous medals and trophies, hence we should not miss the opportunity.
Lastly, I would really excited if you could come with me for the sessions. I am looking forward to your response.
You loving friend,
Steve
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5
The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You recommend volleyball, explain how to learn it through local coaching and club membership, and invite your friend to join you. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the explanation of why the sport is suitable and the specific details regarding the coaching sessions. The purpose of the email is clear from the beginning, and the content remains relevant throughout. You have fully satisfied the requirements of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Apart from this', 'Although', and 'Furthermore' to link your ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different points of the task. While some transitions are slightly mechanical, the overall flow of information is smooth and easy to follow. The referencing is clear, and the progression of ideas from the suggestion to the invitation is logical.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'enthusiastic', 'strategies', and 'organizing'. There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'suggest you a new sport' (should be 'suggest a new sport to you') and 'serve great opportunity' (should be 'be a great opportunity'). However, these errors do not impede communication. You attempt to use more sophisticated language, which is positive. To reach a higher band, focus on more natural collocations and idiomatic expressions suitable for an informal email.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'I am aware how enthusiastic sportsman you are' (should be 'what an enthusiastic sportsman you are') and 'I would really excited' (should be 'I would be really excited'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors, such as 'officials of city of Thunder Bay' (should be 'the city of Thunder Bay'). Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the grammatical control is generally strong enough to support the message.
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