Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-26

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 8.0)

Dear Luis,

I am writing to offer my assistance with the upcoming food event, as I would love to prepare a traditional dish from my country for other members to enjoy.

The dish I have in mind is Chicken Curry, a rich and aromatic preparation made by simmering tender chicken pieces in a blend of onions, tomatoes, and traditional spices. What makes this dish particularly special is its versatility, since it can be adjusted to suit both mild and spicy preferences, which means it would appeal to a wide range of tastes at the event.

In addition, I believe this dish would be a meaningful addition to the celebration, not only because it reflects the essence of home-cooked Indian food, but also because it is relatively simple to prepare in large quantities, making it practical for a group setting.

I would be grateful if you could let me know whether this suggestion works for the event. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best wishes,

Zeel

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response8.0
Coherence and Cohesion8.0
Lexical Resource8.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy8.0
Overall8.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly offer to make a dish, provide a vivid description of the Chicken Curry, and explain its suitability for the event. The tone is appropriate for a letter to an event organiser, maintaining a helpful and professional register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, ensuring the reader understands exactly what is being proposed and why. There are no omissions, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the opening paragraph to the closing.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the offer to the description, then to the justification, and finally the closing. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'not only because... but also because', and 'since' are used effectively to link ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is smooth, making the letter easy to follow. There is a natural progression that guides the reader through your request without any confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context. Phrases like 'rich and aromatic preparation', 'versatility', and 'essence of home-cooked' show an ability to use more sophisticated language effectively. The word choices are precise and contribute to the descriptive quality of the letter. There are no noticeable errors in spelling or word choice, and the vocabulary is used naturally throughout the text. This reflects a strong command of English for this type of task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as the participial phrase 'made by simmering...' and the subordinate clauses starting with 'since' and 'which'. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to support the structure of your arguments. There are no significant grammatical slips, and the control over tense and agreement is consistent throughout the letter, indicating a high level of proficiency.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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