Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-18

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 8.0)

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing this letter to follow-up on our conversation during the flight from Toronto to Calgary on August 10. We were seated next to each other throughout the journey and you kindly suggested that I can contact you regarding possible employment at one of your restaurant.

I am particularly interested in a position as an assistant restaurant manager. I have experience of three years in the hospitality industry. I have developed customer-service and organizational skills, as well as the ability to supervise staff and deal effectively with demanding customers. I am also accustomed to working in fast-paced environment, where maintaining high standards while meeting customers expectation is essential.

I believe I would be well suited to this role because I am reliable, approachable and highly motivated. In my previous position, I was responsible for coordinating a small team during busy periods, training new employees and resolving customer complaints. This experience has taught me how to communicate clearly, make quick decisions and remain composed under pressure.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know whether there are any suitable vacancies available at present. I would be delighted to attend an interview at your convenience provide further details about my experience.

I look forward to hearing by from you.

Yours sincerely,

Khushboo Khushboo

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified the context of the meeting (Toronto to Calgary flight), specified the desired role (assistant restaurant manager), and provided a strong justification for your suitability by linking your past experience to the requirements of the role. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal business letter. All parts of the task 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 progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the introduction to your qualifications and finally to the call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'I am also', 'I believe', and 'In my previous position' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is smooth throughout the text, making it easy for the reader to follow your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context, such as 'hospitality industry', 'supervise staff', 'demanding customers', and 'composed under pressure'. The word choice is generally precise and natural. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede meaning. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated or idiomatic business collocations could elevate the response further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter displays a good command of grammatical structures. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know whether there are any suitable vacancies available at present.' There are very few errors; for instance, 'one of your restaurant' should be 'one of your restaurants' and 'provide further details' needs a connector like 'to provide'. These are minor slips that do not affect the overall clarity or professional tone of the letter.

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

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