Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-18

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently used a company to help you move your furniture and possessions to your new apartment. The removal company has now asked for your feedback about the service they provided.

Write a letter to the removal company. In your letter

• explain what went well on the day you moved house

• praise an employee who was particularly helpful

• mention an aspect of the service that you were not happy with

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to provide feedback on the removal service I recently used when moving to my new apartment.

Overall, the moving day went very smoothly. The team arrived on time, handled my furniture carefully, and worked efficiently throughout the day. They packed and loaded everything safely, and there were no damages to my belongings during transportation. I was particularly impressed by how quickly they completed the move despite having to carry several heavy items up the stairs.

I would especially like to praise one of your employees, Mr. Daniel Brown, who was extremely helpful and professional. He was friendly, patient and took extra care with my fragile possessions. He also helped me arrange the furniture in my new apartment, which made the whole process much easier.

However, I was slightly disappointed that the company arrived with fewer packing boxes than I had requested. As a result, I had to find some additional boxes myself, which caused a small delay.

Despite this issue, I was generally very satisfied with the service and would like to thank your team for making my move considerably less stressful.

Yours faithfully,

Mohit

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The candidate fully covers all requirements of the prompt in a natural and appropriate tone for a formal feedback letter. The opening paragraph effectively states the purpose of the letter. The second paragraph clearly explains what went well on the moving day, citing specific details such as punctual arrival, safe handling of belongings, and efficient teamwork. The third paragraph successfully praises a specific employee, Mr. Daniel Brown, highlighting his professional attributes, patience, and extra care. The fourth paragraph introduces the required negative aspect regarding the shortage of packing boxes and the resulting delay. Finally, the tone remains polite and constructive throughout, ensuring the communicative purpose is fully achieved. The response comfortably reaches the standard for Band 8.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is exceptionally well-structured, featuring a clear logical progression from the introductory purpose through the positive feedback, specific employee praise, and negative critique, concluding with an appropriate sign-off. Paragraphing is used skilfully and purposefully, with each paragraph dedicated to a distinct theme or requirement of the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'Overall,' 'I was particularly impressed,' 'I would especially like to praise,' and 'However,' are deployed naturally to guide the reader effortlessly through the text. Referencing and substitution are handled securely, ensuring seamless connectivity between ideas without any mechanical over-use. Overall, cohesion is smooth, unobtrusive, and well-managed.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical resource appropriate for a formal correspondence task. Words and phrases such as 'efficiently,' 'fragile possessions,' 'disappointed,' and 'considerably less stressful' show precise control over vocabulary and collocation. Less common items are used naturally, and word choice is consistently accurate. There are no notable spelling or lexical errors, and the vocabulary employed allows the writer to convey precise nuances regarding both satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The lexical control easily satisfies the requirements for a Band 8 score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response features a wide range of grammatical structures, successfully blending simple sentences with well-constructed complex clauses, such as '...despite having to carry several heavy items up the stairs' and 'As a result, I had to find some additional boxes myself, which caused a small delay.' The majority of sentences are completely error-free, demonstrating a high level of syntactic control and punctuation accuracy. Any minor slips are absent, and the grammatical structures support clear, fluent communication throughout the letter. This level of accuracy and variety aligns strongly with the Band 8 descriptors.

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