Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02

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 Manager,

My name is Vedang Tripathi. I am a practicing High Court lawyer in Gujarat. I came to attend the case in court and stayed at your Gandhinagar hotel on August 28th. I am writing to request your urgent assistance regarding some confidential legal documents inadvertently left behind during my stay. I believe, I left these papers inside the drawer of the study desk in Room 412, these documents are absolutely critical to my work. They belong to a delicate case where I represent the plaintiffs, who are traumatised robbery survivors. The matter is reaching its final stages, and our conclusive hearing is scheduled for next week in September.

Because the final verdict hangs in the balance, the loss of these sensitive case files would be catastrophic for my clients. I request you to personally instruct your housekeeping staff to thoroughly search the room. If found, please secure the folder immediately in the hotel vault to maintain strict confidentiality.

Kindly contact me at your earliest convenience to confirm their retrieval, and I will arrange a courier to collect them. Thank you for your prompt attention to this highly sensitive matter.

Yours faithfully

Vedang

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identified the location of the papers (Room 412), explained their importance (confidential legal documents for a sensitive case), and provided specific instructions for the manager (search the room and secure the files in a vault). The tone is appropriately formal and professional, consistent with the context of a legal professional writing to a hotel manager. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different requirements of the task. Cohesive devices such as 'Because the final verdict', 'If found', and 'Kindly contact me' are used appropriately to link ideas. The progression of information is smooth, moving from the identification of the problem to the requested solution. The flow of the letter is natural and easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a strong command of vocabulary, using precise and professional terms such as 'inadvertently', 'confidential', 'catastrophic', and 'retrieval'. These choices are well-suited to the formal tone required for this task. There is a good range of vocabulary that allows for clear and nuanced expression. The word choices are accurate and contribute to the professional quality of the letter. No significant errors in collocation or word choice were noted.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences ('I am writing to request your urgent assistance regarding some confidential legal documents inadvertently left behind during my stay'). Punctuation is generally accurate, and the majority of sentences are error-free. There is a minor comma splice in the sentence 'I believe, I left these papers...', but this is a minor slip that does not impede communication. Overall, the control of grammar is high, and the sentence variety is impressive for a short task.

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

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