Band 9.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 9.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-20

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently organised an all-day meeting for your company, which took place in a local hotel. In their feedback, participants at the meeting said that they liked the hotel, but they were unhappy about the food that was served for lunch.

Write a letter to the manager of the hotel. In your letter

• say what the participants liked about the hotel
• explain why they were unhappy about the food
• suggest what the manager should do to improve the food in future

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 9.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to provide some feedback regarding the all-day meeting that my company recently held at your hotel. Overall, the participants were very pleased with the venue and the facilities, although there was some disappointment regarding the lunch that was provided.

The hotel itself received highly positive feedback. The meeting room was spacious, comfortable and well-equipped, while the staff were professional, courteous and attentive throughout the day. Participants particularly appreciated the reliable Wi-Fi, comfortable seating and the quiet surroundings, which created an ideal environment for a business meeting.

Unfortunately, the lunch did not meet the expectations of many attendees. The main concern was the limited choice of dishes, particularly for people with vegetarian dietary preferences. In addition, some of the food was served cold, and the meal appeared to have been prepared considerably earlier than the scheduled lunchtime. Several participants also commented that the food lacked freshness and flavour.

I would suggest offering a wider selection of freshly prepared dishes in future, including clearly labelled vegetarian and other dietary options. It would also be advisable to ensure that hot food is kept at an appropriate temperature until it is served. Finally, collecting guests' dietary requirements in advance could help your catering team plan more effectively.

Thank you for taking this feedback into consideration. I hope it will help you improve the dining experience for future events.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly identified the positive aspects of the hotel, provided specific reasons for the dissatisfaction regarding the lunch, and offered constructive suggestions for improvement. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. The ideas are well-developed and logically extended, demonstrating a clear understanding of the task requirements. There are no omissions, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 9.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, and the transition between the positive feedback and the complaints is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In addition', 'Finally', and 'while the staff were', which helps to connect your ideas naturally. The paragraphing is skillful and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The structure is coherent throughout, making the letter very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 9.0

You demonstrate a wide and sophisticated range of vocabulary that is well-suited to a formal business context. Phrases such as 'professional, courteous and attentive', 'dietary preferences', and 'taking this feedback into consideration' show a high level of lexical control. The word choices are precise and natural, contributing to the professional tone of the letter. There are no errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is used with flexibility to convey your points clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 9.0

The writing displays a wide range of grammatical structures with full flexibility and accuracy. You successfully use complex sentence structures, such as 'The meeting room was spacious, comfortable and well-equipped, while the staff were professional, courteous and attentive throughout the day.' Punctuation is used correctly throughout the letter, and there are no grammatical errors. The control over tense and aspect is excellent, and the overall quality of the grammar is consistent with a high-level user.

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

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