Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-27

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,

Hope you're doing well. I know how cautious you are when it comes to your health and well-being and that is why now you want to invest your time in learning a new sport.

I have seen you enjoy viewing water games but you have never participated in them so I believe learning how to swim can be a great idea. Also, our city has many beautiful beaches and this will give you freedom to explore and have fun by engaging in different water activities.

I think YMCA is a good place to begin with, as they offer multiple swimming programs depending on the need and convenience of applicants. They start new batches every two months with 15-16 lessons in them. Along with this, they provide option for group or private classes which varies in pricing.

You know how much I love being in water too but is always scared because I don't know swimming. Therefore, if you will agree on learning it, I would be more than happy to accompany you in this journey. We both could develop a new life-saving skill and enjoy it as well.

Waiting for your decision about this as the classes are starting from first week of August.

With love,

Neha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly recommend swimming, explain how to learn it by referencing the YMCA's programs, and suggest learning together. The tone is appropriate for an informal email to a friend. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, providing specific details such as the frequency of classes and the option for private lessons. The purpose of the email is clear from the beginning, and the closing is consistent with the requested task. Overall, the response is fully on-topic and meets all requirements of the task instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The email is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your train of thought easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Also,' 'Along with this,' and 'Therefore' to link your sentences and paragraphs effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for an informal letter. While some transitions are quite standard, they are used accurately and contribute to the overall flow of the message. The structure is coherent and easy to navigate.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly and naturally. Phrases like 'invest your time,' 'engaging in different water activities,' and 'life-saving skill' are well-chosen and appropriate for the context. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a few more idiomatic expressions or less common collocations could elevate the score further. Overall, the lexical range is adequate and used with good control throughout the email.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'is always scared' (missing subject 'I') and 'if you will agree on learning it' (the 'if' clause should typically use the present tense 'if you agree'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not interfere with the reader's understanding. Your control over punctuation and sentence construction is generally strong, showing a good command of English grammar.

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