Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27

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 biryani, which is one of the most famous and widely enjoyed dishes in my country.

Biryani is a fragrant rice dish prepared with basmati rice, chicken or meat, and a variety of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and saffron. The ingredients are cooked together in layers, giving the dish a rich aroma and distinctive flavour. It is often served with raita and salad.

I believe biryani should be included in the event because it represents Pakistani culture and is enjoyed by people from different backgrounds. Moreover, its delicious combination of spices and tender meat would allow international students to experience a traditional Pakistani flavour. I would be happy to prepare a sufficient quantity for everyone to taste.

Please let me know if you would like me to bring any additional ingredients or accompaniments.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Kashi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly offer to make a dish, provide a detailed description of biryani, and offer a logical explanation for why it should be included in the event. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to an event organiser, maintaining a polite and helpful register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear understanding of the task requirements. There are no omissions, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the opening sentence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'which is', and 'because' effectively to link your sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the transition between the offer, the description, and the justification is smooth. The overall structure is coherent, and the use of referencing is accurate throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the topic of food and cultural events. Phrases such as 'fragrant rice dish', 'distinctive flavour', and 'wide range of spices' show a good command of descriptive language. The vocabulary is natural and precise, allowing you to convey your ideas clearly without any awkwardness. You use specific culinary terms correctly, which adds to the quality of your writing. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or spelling, and the language is used with a high degree of accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences that are used accurately. For example, your use of relative clauses ('which is one of the most famous...') and participial phrases ('prepared with basmati rice...') is handled with ease. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of your writing. There is a high level of control over verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, and the overall grammatical accuracy is excellent, reflecting a strong command of English syntax.

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

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