Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-12

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 Rahul,

I’m really looking forward to having you stay with me next week. Since your train is arriving in the morning and I won’t be home until the evening, I’ve made a few arrangements so you can get into the house easily.

I’ve left a spare key with my neighbour, Mrs Sharma, who lives in the house next door. Just knock on her door and tell her that you’re my cousin. She knows that you’re coming and will give you the key. Once you get inside, you can make yourself comfortable and leave your luggage in the guest room.

From the train station, take the number 15 bus from the stop directly outside the main entrance. Get off at Green Street, which is about a ten-minute journey. My house is only a short walk from there. Turn left at the supermarket and continue straight until you see a small park. My house is the third one on the right, with a blue door.

I should be home at around 6:30 p.m. We could have dinner together and then go for a walk around the neighbourhood. If you’re not too tired after the journey, we could also watch a movie at home and catch up properly.

Have a safe journey, and I’ll see you in the evening!

Best wishes,

Meenu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task in a natural and appropriate tone. First, Meenu clearly explains the arrangements for getting the keys by mentioning the neighbour, Mrs Sharma: 'I’ve left a spare key with my neighbour, Mrs Sharma, who lives in the house next door.' Second, the directions from the train station to the house are detailed and logical, referencing the number 15 bus, Green Street, and local landmarks like the supermarket and a small park. Finally, the letter specifies the arrival time ('around 6:30 p.m.') and suggests appealing evening activities such as having dinner together, going for a walk, or watching a movie. All bullet points are well-developed with appropriate detail, easily achieving a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and natural progression throughout. The tone and register are consistently appropriate for writing to a family member, beginning with a warm greeting ('Dear Rahul,') and ending with a friendly sign-off. Paragraphing is used skilfully and logically: each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving smoothly from the greeting and key arrangements, to transport directions, to evening plans, and finally to a warm closing. Cohesive devices such as 'Since your train', 'Once you get inside', and 'If you’re not too tired' are used accurately and unobtrusively, ensuring seamless readability.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a very natural and flexible command of vocabulary appropriate for an informal letter. The language is precise and communicative, featuring natural collocations and functional phrases such as 'spare key', 'make yourself comfortable', 'guest room', and 'catch up properly'. There are no spelling errors or awkward word choices, and the range of vocabulary allows the writer to convey precise meanings effortlessly. The style is spot-on for a General Training Task 1 letter to a relative.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The writing features an impressive variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The vast majority of sentences are completely error-free. The student effortlessly handles complex clauses and conditional structures, as seen in sentences like 'Since your train is arriving in the morning and I won’t be home until the evening, I’ve made a few arrangements so you can get into the house easily' and 'If you’re not too tired after the journey, we could also watch a movie at home'. Punctuation is flawless, and control over verb tenses is fully maintained throughout.

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

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