Band 9.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 9.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-07

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 9.0)

Dear Mr. Adnan,

I am writing to express my interest in joining your restaurant group, following our pleasant conversation during our recent flight. We sat next to each other on flight AC842 from Mumbai to Toronto on Tuesday, August 4th, where we discussed the dynamic nature of the hospitality industry and your impressive expansion plans.

I am particularly interested in applying for a front-of-house Assistant Manager position within your chain. Having managed customer relations in busy environments before, I am keen to oversee daily operations, coordinate floor staff, and ensure your guests receive exceptional service.

I believe I am highly suitable for this role due to my three years of experience in hospitality management and my academic background in culinary business administration. I possess strong leadership abilities, thrive under pressure during peak dining hours, and share your strict commitment to high-quality service standards.

Thank you for your time and for encouraging me to reach out. I have attached my resume for your review and welcome the opportunity to discuss how my skills align with your business goals.

Yours sincerely,

Harsh Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified the context of the meeting (flight AC842), specified the desired role (Assistant Manager), and provided a strong justification for your suitability by linking your experience in hospitality management and culinary business administration to the recipient's business. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal business letter. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. 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 serves a distinct purpose, moving from the introduction and context to the specific request and finally the closing. Cohesive devices such as 'following our pleasant conversation', 'particularly interested', and 'due to my three years of experience' are used naturally and effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is smooth throughout the text, making it very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 9.0

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context. Phrases such as 'dynamic nature of the hospitality industry', 'exceptional service', and 'align with your business goals' show a high level of lexical control. The word choices are precise and contribute to the professional tone of the letter. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is used with natural flexibility throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 9.0

The writing exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with full flexibility and accuracy. You use complex sentences effectively, such as the participial phrase 'Having managed customer relations in busy environments before...' and the relative clause '...where we discussed the dynamic nature...'. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no grammatical errors. The control over sentence structure is excellent, and the writing is error-free, which is characteristic of the highest band level.

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

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