Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-21

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 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask for your assistance in finding some important papers that I believe I left behind at your hotel during my recent stay.

I think I may have accidentally left the documents on the desk in my hotel room when I was packing my belongings before checking out. They were inside a blue folder, which should make them easier to identify.

These papers are extremely important because they contain documents related to my work and I need them for an important meeting next week. Unfortunately, getting new copies would take a considerable amount of time and could cause me some difficulties.

I would be very grateful if you could ask the housekeeping staff to check the room and contact your lost property department. If the papers are found, please let me know as soon as possible and arrange to send them to me by post or courier.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Yours faithfully,

Lovepreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly identify the location of the papers (the desk in the hotel room), explain their importance (work-related, needed for a meeting), and provide a clear request for action (check the room, contact lost property, and arrange postage). The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter to a hotel manager. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the communication is immediately clear to the reader. You have successfully fulfilled all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the reason for writing to the specific details of the lost items, the explanation of their importance, and finally the call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'If the papers are found', and 'because' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure is coherent and easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal business-style letter. Phrases such as 'assistance in finding', 'accidentally left', 'considerable amount of time', and 'lost property department' are used accurately and naturally. The vocabulary is precise and fits the context well. While the range is sufficient for the task, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or less common synonyms could elevate the response further, but the current usage is accurate and conveys your message clearly without any errors in word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The grammar is highly accurate throughout the letter. You use a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences such as 'I am writing to ask for your assistance in finding some important papers that I believe I left behind...' and 'If the papers are found, please let me know...'. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no noticeable grammatical errors. The control over verb tenses and clause structures is strong, making the writing fluent and professional. The majority of sentences are error-free.

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

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