Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-02

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 8.5)

Dear Luis,

I am writing to suggest a popular dish from Bangladesh that I would be happy to prepare for our upcoming international food event. I think chicken biryani would be an excellent addition to the menu.

Biryani is one of the most popular dishes in Bangladesh and is commonly served at celebrations, family gatherings, and special occasions. It is mainly made with aromatic basmati rice, chicken, potatoes, and a variety of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Although it takes some time to prepare, the cooking process is fairly straightforward, and I would be happy to make enough for everyone attending the event.

I believe biryani should be included because it would give students from other countries an opportunity to experience an important part of Bangladeshi food culture. It is rich in flavour without necessarily being too spicy, so I think it would appeal to a wide range of people. It could also be a great conversation starter and encourage students to learn more about Bangladeshi traditions.

Please let me know if you would like me to prepare it.

Best wishes,

Jasmin

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 9.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task with complete and natural elaboration. You successfully introduce the purpose of your letter by offering to make chicken biryani for the upcoming international food event, meeting the first bullet point effortlessly. Furthermore, you vividly describe the dish by detailing its key ingredients and cooking process, and you clearly explain why it should be included, citing its cultural significance and broad appeal. All ideas are fully developed and naturally tailored to the context of a student club event. There are no omissions, and the tone is appropriately friendly and persuasive throughout, perfectly matching the requirements for this type of task.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and the progression of the letter feels completely natural from start to finish. You use paragraphing skilfully and appropriately, with each paragraph dedicated to a distinct purpose: introducing the proposal, describing the dish and its preparation, explaining its inclusion, and closing the letter. Cohesive devices are managed very well without ever feeling intrusive. For example, transition words like 'Although' and 'It could also be' are used smoothly to connect thoughts. Referencing is clear throughout, ensuring the reader effortlessly follows your arguments about why the dish is a strong choice for the club.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for describing food and cultural experiences. Words and phrases such as 'upcoming international food event', 'aromatic basmati rice', 'fairly straightforward', and 'conversation starter' show a strong control of collocation and natural expression. Less common lexical items are used skilfully to enhance the description of the dish and its cultural value. There are no noticeable inaccuracies in word choice or spelling, reflecting a high level of lexical precision that supports clear communication throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The writing exhibits a wide range of sentence structures, seamlessly blending simple and complex forms. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, demonstrating excellent command over verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and articles. For instance, complex structures such as 'Biryani is one of the most popular dishes in Bangladesh and is commonly served at celebrations...' and 'Although it takes some time to prepare, the cooking process is fairly straightforward...' are constructed with precision. Punctuation is accurate, and prepositions within grammatical patterns are handled flawlessly, leaving only very occasional or non-existent errors.

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