Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

A large company in your area has decided to spend a certain amount of money, either to sponsor a local children's sports team for two years, or to pay for two open-air concerts. It has asked for feedback from the general public.

Write a letter to the company. In your letter

• describe the benefits of sponsoring the sports team
• summarise the benefits of paying for the concerts
• say how you think the company should spend the money

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to express my opinion regarding how your company can spend the money allocated for supporting the local community. In my view, sponsoring a local children's sports team would be more beneficial than funding two open-air concerts.

There are several advantages to sponsoring a children's sports team. Firstly, it would encourage young people to participate in physical activities, which would help them to improve their health and fitness. Secondly, by playing sports as team members, they can enhance their skills in communication, cooperation, and discipline. In addition to this, supporting a local team would create a positive image of the company among families in the community and demonstrate its commitment to young people.

On the other hand, paying for two open-air concerts would also have some benefits. Such events could provide entertainment for people of different ages and bring the local community together. Moreover, they could attract visitors from nearby areas and increase business for local shops, restaurants, and so on. However, the benefits of these concerts would probably be temporary, whereas supporting a sports team could have a positive impact on children for a much longer period.

Therefore, I strongly recommend that the company use the money to sponsor the children's sports team for two years. I believe this would provide lasting benefits to young people while also improving the company's reputation in society.

Yours faithfully,

Nishu Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task. You have clearly described the benefits of both the sports team sponsorship and the open-air concerts, and you have provided a clear, well-reasoned recommendation. The ideas are well-developed and supported with logical arguments, such as the long-term impact of sports versus the temporary nature of concerts. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter, and the position is consistent throughout the text. You have successfully met all the requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central focus, and the transition between the benefits of the sports team and the concerts is smooth. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'In addition to this', and 'On the other hand'. These markers guide the reader through your argument without being repetitive or mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'allocated for supporting', 'demonstrate its commitment', and 'lasting benefits' show a level of precision and natural collocation. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and fits the context well, it remains within a standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items to express your ideas with even greater nuance, though the current usage is perfectly sufficient for clear communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You have used a variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('if... would') and relative clauses, with very few errors. The punctuation is correct, and the sentence construction is consistently error-free. The control over verb tenses and modal verbs is strong, which helps in conveying your opinions and recommendations clearly. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a solid command of English grammar.

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

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