Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-26

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

During a recent plane journey, you sat next to a businessman who owns a chain of restaurants. You talked to him and he suggested that you should contact him about a possible job in one of his restaurants.

Write a letter to this businessman. In your letter

• remind him when and where you met
• tell him what kind of job you are interested in
• say why you think you would be suitable for the job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 8.5)

Dear Mr Johnson,

I am writing to follow up on our conversation during our flight from Toronto to Vancouver last week.

We met on the plane when I was travelling to Vancouver for a short holiday, and I clearly remember discussing your successful chain of restaurants. You were kind enough to suggest that I contact you if I was interested in working for your company. Although we spoke for only a few hours, I found your advice extremely valuable, which encouraged me to write this letter.

I am particularly interested in applying for the position of restaurant supervisor or customer service assistant because I enjoy interacting with people and working in a fast-paced environment. If there are any suitable vacancies available, I would be grateful if you could consider my application, as I am eager to develop my career in the hospitality industry.

I believe I would be a suitable candidate because I have one and a half years of experience working in a restaurant, where I developed excellent customer service, communication, and teamwork skills. Not only am I hardworking and reliable, but I am also able to remain calm under pressure, which enables me to provide customers with a positive dining experience even during busy periods.

Kind regards,

daljit singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly identified the context of the meeting (flight from Toronto to Vancouver), specified the desired roles (restaurant supervisor or customer service assistant), and provided a strong justification for your suitability by highlighting your previous experience and soft skills. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal business letter. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear understanding of the task requirements. There are no omissions, and the purpose of the letter is conveyed effectively from the opening to the closing.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving smoothly from the introduction to the request and finally to your qualifications. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Although we spoke', 'If there are any', and 'Not only... but I am also', which help connect your thoughts naturally. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is easy to follow. The transition between reminding the recipient of the meeting and stating your interest in the job is seamless, demonstrating good control over the structure of a formal letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context. Phrases such as 'follow up on our conversation', 'fast-paced environment', and 'hospitality industry' show a strong command of topic-specific language. The word choices are precise and contribute to the formal tone of the letter. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, it remains within a standard professional range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated collocations or nuanced expressions, but the current range is more than sufficient for the task and conveys your message with clarity and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The letter exhibits a high level of grammatical accuracy. You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('If there are any suitable vacancies...') and correlative conjunctions ('Not only am I... but I am also...'), with excellent control. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over verb tenses and subject-verb agreement is consistent. The writing is polished and demonstrates a strong grasp of English grammar, making it very easy to read and understand.

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