Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-19

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You are a member of an International Students' club. The club is organising an event to celebrate popular food from around the world.

Write a letter to the event organiser, Luis. In your letter

• offer to make a popular dish from your country
• describe what this dish is
• explain why it should be included in the event

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Luis,

Student answer (Band 8.5)

Dear Luis,

I am writing to offer to prepare a popular Pakistani dish for the international food event. I would be delighted to make chicken biryani, one of the country's most well-known and widely enjoyed dishes.

Biryani is a fragrant rice dish made by cooking basmati rice with marinated chicken, onions, tomatoes and a blend of aromatic spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Saffron or food colouring is sometimes added to give the rice its distinctive appearance. The ingredients are usually layered and cooked together so that the rice absorbs the flavours of the meat and spices. Although it is particularly popular at weddings and family gatherings, it is also commonly prepared as an everyday meal.

I believe chicken biryani would be an excellent addition to the event because it represents an important part of Pakistani cuisine while also being appealing to people who may have never tried our food before. Its combination of fragrant rice, tender chicken and carefully balanced spices offers a distinctive taste without being overwhelmingly hot. Furthermore, biryani is traditionally served in large quantities, making it particularly suitable for a gathering involving students from many different countries.

I would be happy to prepare enough biryani for the attendees and provide a brief explanation of its cultural significance. Please let me know if you would like me to take responsibility for this dish.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Usama

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task. You have clearly offered to make a dish, provided a detailed description of the chicken biryani, and offered a logical explanation for why it is a suitable choice for the event. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to an event organiser, maintaining a professional yet friendly register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant details, such as the specific ingredients and the cultural context of the dish. You have successfully met all the requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the initial offer to the description of the dish, the justification for its inclusion, and finally the closing offer of assistance. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'Although', and 'such as' are used naturally and effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is skilful, and the overall structure is coherent, making the letter very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You have demonstrated a wide and precise range of vocabulary. The use of descriptive terms such as 'fragrant', 'aromatic', 'distinctive appearance', and 'cultural significance' shows a high level of lexical control. The vocabulary is not only accurate but also contextually appropriate for describing food and cultural events. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is natural and sophisticated throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with full flexibility and accuracy. You have used a variety of complex sentence forms, such as the participial phrase 'making it particularly suitable for a gathering' and the concessive clause 'Although it is particularly popular...'. Punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of information. There are no grammatical errors, and the control over tense and aspect is excellent throughout the letter.

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