Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-01

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 Alisha,

I hope you are doing well. It was great to hear from you. I am excited to meet you next week. As you mentioned, you will be here in the morning. Unfortunately, a mandatory conference meeting is on the same day, so I won't be able to get home till evening.

I have already figured out the secret place for the keys that is in the garden. As soon as you get into the gate on the right, there is a garden. In the center, you will see a mango tree; near the roots, you will find the keys.

Due to work, I won't be able to pick you up from the station. The easiest way to reach my home is by taking a taxi. You can find them outside the station. Make sure you book a private one rather than going with a shared one, as there is no safety involved in that.

I will try my best to come early. If I get stuck there, the latest I will be home is around 5 pm. The food and basic stuff you will find on the wooden table. Take a good rest; afterwards, we will be going out to enjoy downtown.

Don't hesitate to reach out to me anytime you need. Give my regards to your parents.

Best wishes,

Sami

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly explained the key arrangements, provided specific directions from the station, and stated your arrival time while suggesting an evening activity. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a family member, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the prompt, meeting all requirements for a Band 8.0 performance in this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which makes the information easy to follow. You used appropriate cohesive devices such as 'As soon as', 'Due to', and 'afterwards' to link your sentences. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different topics. The flow is natural and consistent, which is characteristic of the Band 7.0 to 8.0 range.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'mandatory conference meeting', 'figured out', and 'don't hesitate to reach out' are natural and appropriate for the context. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would push the score into the 8.0+ range. However, there are no errors in word choice that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control of punctuation and tense is generally strong. There are a few minor awkward phrasings, such as 'there is no safety involved in that' (which could be more naturally expressed as 'it is not as safe') and 'the food and basic stuff you will find' (which is slightly informal). These are minor slips that do not affect the overall clarity of the message.

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