Band 9.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 9.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-28

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter

• say where you think you left the papers
• explain why they are so important
• tell the manager what you want him/her to do

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 9.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing regarding an important set of papers that I believe I accidentally left in your hotel during my stay last weekend.

I think I may have left the documents in the drawer of the desk in Room 305 after checking some information before I checked out. It is also possible that I left them in the lobby near the reception while I was waiting for my taxi.

These papers are extremely important because they include my original educational certificates, passport copies, and several business documents that I need for a job application next week. Replacing them would be both difficult and time-consuming.

I would be very grateful if you could check the room as well as your hotel's lost property department to see whether the papers have been found. If you locate them, could you please contact me by phone or email as soon as possible? I would also appreciate it if you could arrange to send the documents to my home address. I am happy to pay any postage or courier charges.

Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Satwinder

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identified the potential locations of the papers (Room 305 and the lobby), explained the significance of the documents (educational certificates and job application materials), and provided a clear request for action (checking the room and arranging postage). The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter to a hotel manager. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the opening sentence. You have successfully met all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 9.0

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 have used cohesive devices effectively, such as 'It is also possible that', 'These papers are', and 'If you locate them'. The transition between the explanation of the problem and the request for assistance is smooth. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, the details of the loss, the explanation of importance, and the final request.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases such as 'accidentally left', 'extremely important', 'time-consuming', and 'arrange to send' are natural and appropriate for this context. There are no spelling errors, and the word choice is consistently accurate. While the vocabulary is not highly sophisticated, it is perfectly suited to the task and demonstrates a good level of control over the language required for formal correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 9.0

The response demonstrates a high level of grammatical accuracy. You have used a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences with conditional clauses ('If you locate them, could you please...') and relative clauses ('...that I need for a job application'). Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no noticeable grammatical errors. The control over verb tenses is consistent, and the overall structure of the letter is error-free, which is characteristic of a high-level performance.

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