Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-25
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 8.5)
Dear Raj, how have you been? I’m writing in response to your letter mentioning your request for advice on learning a new sport, and I would love to assist you with that!
Since you’re more health-conscious and I heard that you’re focusing on losing weight too, I’d suggest starting to learn swimming, given that it is one of the best forms of exercise that will not only help you to be fit, but also is a life-saving skill that everyone should learn.
Fortunately, the government is running free swimming classes near my home, where certified instructors educate learners about techniques to learn this sport every weekend in the morning. So, you can join the club to improve your swimming skills. However, you’ll have to fill out the form that opens on the first Monday of every month to confirm your seat.
In fact, I have already filled it out for myself. If you’re interested in learning this activity, let me know; I can guide you through the whole process. Being together will be a fun activity along with learning, and we can spend time together weekly.
Let me know quickly, so I can start submitting information to reserve your seat in the club. Lots of love to you and your parents. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Your friend,
Milan
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 8.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.5 |
| Overall | 8.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5
The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly recommended swimming, explained the process of joining the local club, and extended a warm invitation to learn together. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, providing specific details such as the registration process and the benefits of the sport. The purpose of the email is clear from the beginning, and the response flows logically to a natural conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5
The email is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your train of thought easily. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Since', 'Fortunately', 'However', and 'In fact', which connect your sentences and paragraphs smoothly. The use of paragraphing is appropriate for an informal email, and the referencing is clear throughout. The overall structure is coherent and easy to navigate.
Lexical Resource — Band 8.0
You have used a good range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context of the task. Phrases like 'health-conscious', 'life-saving skill', and 'guide you through the whole process' demonstrate a natural and flexible use of language. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a few more idiomatic expressions or slightly more sophisticated collocations could elevate the response further, but the current range is more than sufficient for a Band 7.0+ level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5
The grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have demonstrated control over various tenses and subordinate clauses, such as 'Since you’re more health-conscious and I heard that you’re focusing on losing weight too'. Punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of your writing. There are very few errors, and those that exist are minor and do not affect the clarity of your message. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of grammatical control.
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