Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-30

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 Chris,

I hope you are doing well. I am glad to hear that you want to learn a new sport. According to me, badminton would be a great choice for you because it is fun, easy to learn, and a great way to stay fit.

You could start by joining a beginner class at the town sports center. If you prefer, there are plenty of online videos that could help you to learn basic techniques and rules. With regular practice, you will improve quickly and gain confidence.

In fact, I was also thinking about learning badminton. Why don't we join classes together? It will be so exciting. We can practice twice a week, encourage each other, and spend more time together. It is really enjoyable to learn with a friend, and we can even schedule a friendly match once we become better.

Let me know what you think. I hope we start soon!

Best wishes,

Janki

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You recommended badminton, provided clear methods for learning (classes and online videos), and extended a warm invitation to learn together. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose of the email is clear from the beginning. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements, showing a good understanding of the informal register expected in a General Training Task 1 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The email is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific part of the prompt, which makes the letter easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices such as 'In fact', 'If you prefer', and 'According to me' effectively to link your sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the transition between the recommendation, the learning methods, and the suggestion to join together is smooth and natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a good range of vocabulary appropriate for an informal email. Phrases like 'stay fit', 'basic techniques', and 'gain confidence' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is mostly standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more idiomatic expressions or slightly more sophisticated collocations to add variety and flair to your writing. However, the current range is sufficient to convey your message clearly and naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you have used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. For example, the use of conditional sentences ('If you prefer...') and compound sentences ('We can practice... and spend...') demonstrates good control. There are very few errors, and those that exist do not impede communication. The punctuation is correct throughout, and the sentence variety keeps the reader engaged. Your control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent.

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