Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-07-26

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the morning, but you won’t be home until the evening.

• explain arrangements you have made for them to have keys and get into the house

• tell your relative how to get from the train station to your house

• say when you will be home and suggest what you could do together that evening

Student answer (Band 8.5)

Dear John,

I hope you are well. I am writing to tell you about the arrangements for your visit because I will not be at home when you arrive.

I have left the house keys with my neighbour, Mr Brown, who lives next door. You can collect the keys from him when you arrive. He knows that you are coming, so there will be no problem. After getting the keys, you can open the front door and wait inside the house.

To get to my house from the train station, you should take bus number 25 from the station. Get off at the third stop near the supermarket. My house is just opposite the supermarket, and you will easily find it.

I will be home at around 7 pm after finishing my work. In the evening, we can have dinner together and talk about your journey. We can also go for a walk around the area if you feel comfortable.

I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

Kind regards,

Daljit

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the key arrangement with your neighbour, provided specific directions from the train station, and suggested a concrete plan for the evening. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a family member, maintaining a friendly and helpful register throughout. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. You have successfully met all the requirements of the task with a logical and helpful structure.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the prompt, which makes the information easy to follow. You use appropriate cohesive devices such as 'After getting the keys' and 'To get to my house' to transition between ideas. The use of paragraphing is effective, and the opening and closing salutations are appropriate for the context. The flow of information is natural and coherent throughout the entire piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the task. Phrases like 'collect the keys', 'opposite the supermarket', and 'looking forward to seeing you' are natural and accurate. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is mostly standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate slightly more varied or descriptive language, such as 'conveniently located' or 'make yourself at home'. However, the current range is sufficient to convey your message precisely without any errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

Your grammar is very accurate, with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures used correctly. There are no significant errors in punctuation or syntax. You successfully use future forms ('I will be home', 'we can have dinner') and modal verbs ('should take', 'can collect') appropriately to convey your intentions. The sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and word order is consistent. This reflects a high level of grammatical competence for this type of task.

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