Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-25

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Mitesh,

How've you been? I hope you are doing well. I'm really sorry about the mistakes I made during my recent stay at your home while you were away. Although I promised you that I would take good care of your home, I was unable to do so. I feel terrible about causing some problems. I promise not to make similar mistakes in the future.

I'm so sorry that I forgot to feed your dog and make sure he had enough water. In addition, despite writing notes about all household chores, I missed watering plants and moving them indoors, which made me feel extremely regretful.

I'd absolutely like to make it up to you. Can you please let me know whether you'd like me to help you organize your house or do some household chores next weekend? I'll always be ready to lend a hand whenever you need in the future.

Anyway, I'd better go now! Drop me a line, and sorry again for letting you down.

Take care,

Miral Khunt

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

Miral has successfully covered all requirements of the letter. The purpose of the letter is clearly established in the opening paragraph, where she apologises for the mistakes made during her stay. The specific details of what went wrong, such as forgetting to feed the dog and failing to water the plants, are well-elaborated in the second paragraph. Furthermore, the tone is appropriately polite and remorseful, and the writer offers a constructive solution to make amends in the third paragraph. All bullet points or implied functions of a general apology letter are thoroughly addressed, maintaining a consistent and appropriate register throughout. Therefore, this response fully satisfies the task requirements, demonstrating a clear and natural tone suitable for writing to a friend.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The letter is logically sequenced, moving smoothly from the initial greeting and apology to specific details of the incident, offering a solution, and concluding with a friendly sign-off. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph having a clear and distinct focus. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'In addition', and 'despite' are managed well to connect ideas and maintain a natural flow. Referencing is clear throughout, as seen when 'he' and 'your dog' are used accurately. There is a natural progression of ideas from the expression of guilt to the proposal of corrective action, ensuring the reader can follow the narrative effortlessly without any confusing leaps in logic.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

Miral demonstrates a sufficient and natural range of vocabulary suitable for a semi-formal personal letter. Phrases such as 'take good care', 'extremely regretful', and 'make it up to you' are used with appropriate collocation and style. There is an attempt at less common lexical items, and the word choices are generally accurate. Spelling and word formation are completely error-free throughout the text. While the vocabulary is not excessively sophisticated, it is precise enough to convey the intended meaning fluidly and naturally, meeting the criteria for a strong performance in lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses introduced by 'Although', 'despite', and 'whether'. The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate and error-free. Punctuation is handled well, aiding readability. Control over verb tenses is strong, successfully shifting between past events ('forgot to feed', 'made me feel') and future intentions ('whether you'd like me to help', 'I'll always be ready'). The few minor structures attempted are handled with good control, resulting in clear communication without any noticeable impediment caused by grammatical slips.

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