Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-08

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 Alana,

I hope you're doing well. I’m writing to let you know about the arrangements I’ve made for your arrival in Lahore tomorrow morning.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take time off work, so I won't be able to welcome you when you arrive. However, I have made a copy of my house keys and will leave them under the welcome mat directly in front of the main gate. Once you're inside, please make yourself comfortable, freshen up and help yourself to the fruit I have stocked in the fridge.

As you're arriving by train, getting to my house should be fairly easy. After leaving the station, you'll find plenty of taxis waiting outside on the left-hand side. My house is only about ten minutes away by taxi, and I'll WhatsApp you my location so that you can show it to the driver.

My last meeting is scheduled to finish at 7 p.m., and I should be home by around 7:30. I've already made dinner reservations at a popular restaurant that serves authentic Lahori cuisine and also has live music. I thought it would be a great way for us to catch up and spend your first evening in Lahore together.

I'm really looking forward to seeing you. Have a safe journey, and see you tomorrow evening!

Yours,

Dina

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the key arrangement, provided specific instructions for the taxi from the station, and detailed your arrival time along with a concrete plan for the evening. The tone is consistently appropriate for a letter to a family member, and the ideas are well-developed and relevant. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively, demonstrating a clear understanding of the communicative purpose.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the prompt. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving naturally from the key arrangements to travel instructions and finally to evening plans. You have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'However', 'As you're arriving', and 'Once you're inside', which help to link sentences and ideas seamlessly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct topics, making the letter easy to follow and coherent throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide and natural range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context of the letter. Phrases like 'freshen up', 'authentic Lahori cuisine', and 'made a copy of my house keys' are used accurately and naturally. The vocabulary is precise and contributes to the overall clarity and tone of the message. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is sophisticated enough to convey your meaning clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your writing displays a high level of grammatical control. You have used a variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('If you're arriving...') and relative clauses, with high accuracy. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no noticeable grammatical errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the overall control of grammar is excellent, which makes the text very easy to read and understand.

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

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