Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-27

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 Johnson,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to follow up on our conversation during the flight from Toronto to Vancouver last Saturday. We were seated next to each other, and we had an interesting conversation about your restaurant business. You kindly suggested that I contact you if I was interested in working for one of your restaurants.

I would be particularly interested in a position as a restaurant supervisor or customer service coordinator. I believe this type of role would suit my skills and previous experience.

I have several years of experience working with customers and handling administrative responsibilities. I am organised, reliable and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. I also enjoy communicating with people and dealing with customers professionally. I am confident that these skills would allow me to contribute positively to your team.

I would be grateful if you could let me know whether any suitable positions are currently available.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The student has successfully covered all parts of the task prompt in a comprehensive and engaging manner. First, the writer effectively reminds the businessman of their encounter by specifying the context: 'our conversation during the flight from Toronto to Vancouver last Saturday'. Second, the letter clearly states the desired positions, mentioning 'a restaurant supervisor or customer service coordinator'. Finally, the response outlines suitable reasons for the role, explaining that the candidate has 'several years of experience working with customers and handling administrative responsibilities'. The tone is consistently polite, professional, and appropriate for a business correspondence context. All bullet points from the prompt are fully addressed with relevant, well-developed supporting ideas, demonstrating a strong understanding of General Training Task 1 requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and a natural progression of ideas from the opening salutation through to the final sign-off. Each paragraph serves a distinct communicative function: the first establishes the context, the second identifies the career interest, the third provides supporting qualifications, and the final paragraph closes with a call to action. Cohesive devices such as referencing ('our conversation', 'this type of role', 'these skills') are used naturally and effectively to link ideas together without being obtrusive. Furthermore, paragraphing is managed logically and appropriately, creating a smooth and effortless reading experience that fully meets the criteria for a high band score.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary suitable for a professional letter. Words and phrases such as 'follow up', 'restaurant business', 'administrative responsibilities', and 'fast-paced environment' show good control of topic-specific lection. While the vocabulary is largely standard rather than advanced or highly unusual, it is accurate, natural, and effectively conveys the intended meaning without hesitation. Spelling and word choice are entirely correct throughout the response, ensuring that communication is seamless and precise. The lexical range is well-suited to fulfilling the functional purpose of a job inquiry letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.5

The writing features a very strong command of grammar and sentence structure. The student successfully employs a mix of simple and complex structures, such as 'I would be particularly interested in a position as... ' and 'I am confident that these skills would allow me to contribute positively...'. The majority of sentences in the response are completely error-free, showcasing excellent control over verb tenses, modal verbs, and punctuation. There are no noticeable grammatical slips or awkward phrasings that impede readability. This high level of accuracy combined with a varied grammatical repertoire places the response firmly in the upper band range.

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