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 parts of the task. You clearly offer to prepare a dish, provide a detailed description of biryani, and explain its cultural significance and appeal for the event. The tone is appropriate for a letter to an event organiser, maintaining a polite and helpful stance throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, ensuring the reader understands both the nature of the dish and the rationale for its inclusion. There are no omissions, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the opening paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose: the introduction states the purpose, the second paragraph describes the dish, and the third explains the reasoning. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'which is', and 'because' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is smooth, making the letter easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context. Words like 'fragrant', 'distinctive', 'accompaniments', and 'sufficient' show a level of precision beyond basic requirements. The collocations used, such as 'widely enjoyed' and 'rich aroma', are natural and accurate. While the vocabulary is not overly sophisticated, it is highly effective and perfectly suited to the task. There are no errors in word choice or spelling that would impede communication or distract the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a high level of grammatical control. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively, such as the relative clause in 'which is one of the most famous...' and the participial phrase in 'The ingredients are cooked together in layers, giving the dish...'. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant grammatical errors. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the overall structure is sophisticated enough to convey your message clearly and professionally.

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

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