Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-02

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 to prepare a popular dish from my country, India, for the upcoming international food event. I would be delighted to make butter chicken, which is one of the most popular Indian dishes.

Butter chicken is a creamy and mildly spicy curry made with chicken, tomatoes, butter and a variety of Indian spices. The chicken is usually marinated before being cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce. It is commonly served with naan or rice.

I believe this dish should be included in the event because it represents Indian cuisine very well and is enjoyed by people of different ages. Although it contains several spices, its creamy and slightly sweet flavour makes it suitable for people who are not accustomed to very spicy food. Moreover, serving butter chicken would give international students an opportunity to experience the flavours and cooking traditions of India.

I would be happy to prepare the dish and explain its ingredients and cooking method to other club members. Please let me know if you would like me to bring any additional items.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Pankaj Dubey

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly offer to make a dish, provide a detailed description of butter chicken, and offer 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. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear understanding of the task requirements. You have successfully fulfilled all instructions, and the content is well-structured to meet the needs of the recipient.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, and the transition between the description of the dish and the justification for its inclusion is smooth. You make effective use of cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Although', and 'which is', which help to link sentences and ideas naturally. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is coherent, making the letter easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the context of food and cultural events. Phrases like 'creamy and mildly spicy curry', 'tomato-based sauce', and 'cooking traditions' are used accurately. The language is natural and precise, effectively conveying your message without any noticeable errors in word choice or collocation. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band, but it is certainly sufficient for a clear and effective communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You use a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences with relative clauses ('which is one of the most popular...') and concessive clauses ('Although it contains...'). Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The control over verb tenses and subject-verb agreement is consistent, reflecting a strong command of English grammar. The writing is error-free and flows naturally.

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

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