Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-07-29
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 8.0)
Dear Jason,
I am writing this letter to let you know that I will not be at home tomorrow until the evening, as I have a college exam coming up next week and I need to attend lectures to cover the syllabus.
I will make every possible arrangement for you to get into the house. I will give the keys to my neighbour, and I will also hand over some hot snacks and coffee for you guys, so that you guys can have breakfast and you can rest until I come.
Nevertheless, my house is just near the railway station, which is very easy to commute to. There are multiple ways to get there. Firstly, you can directly take a taxi from the station, or else you can take a public bus, and the bus number is 511b, which you can easily find outside the station. You just have to commute 3 stations, and my house is just in front of the bus station.
Moreover, I will be at home around 5 pm, and I have made all the plans for us for the evening. Firstly, we will go bowling, and then we will go to the beach to explore the best sunset view of the city. Later in the day, we will go to the best Italian cuisine restaurant, which is rated the best, and after that we will go for a long walk downtown and will explore some of the best ice cream spots.
I hope you will enjoy the day, and I will make sure that you explore everything around the city and have the best time.
Yours faithfully,
Utsav
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
You have addressed all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly explained the key arrangement with the neighbour, provided specific instructions for the bus route, and outlined your evening plans. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a family member. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. To reach a higher band, ensure that all details are consistent; for instance, you mention 'you guys' (plural) when addressing a single relative ('Jason'), which creates a slight inconsistency in the task fulfillment regarding the recipient.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5
The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your message easily. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'Nevertheless', 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'Later in the day' to link your sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the letter. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is consistently clear throughout the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a semi-formal or informal letter. Phrases like 'cover the syllabus', 'commute', and 'explore the best sunset view' are used effectively. However, there are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'explore the best sunset view' (which sounds slightly unnatural) and the repetitive use of 'best' throughout the final paragraph. Using a wider variety of descriptive adjectives would enhance the sophistication of your writing and help you achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is functional. There are occasional slips, such as 'my house is just in front of the bus station' (where 'bus stop' would be more accurate) and the slightly awkward phrasing 'explore the best sunset view of the city'. These errors are minor and do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate more varied complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, to demonstrate greater flexibility.
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