Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-24

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 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to provide feedback regarding an all-day business meeting that my company recently organized at your hotel. Overall, the participants were very pleased with the venue and the services provided; however, they were disappointed with the food served during lunch.

To begin with, the participants particularly appreciated the hotel's convenient location and the comfortable meeting room. The facilities were well maintained, and the room was spacious enough to accommodate everyone comfortably. In addition, the staff were professional and helpful throughout the day, which contributed greatly to the success of the meeting.

However, several participants expressed dissatisfaction with the lunch. The food was served later than scheduled, which meant that the afternoon session had to be delayed. Furthermore, the meal was rather limited, and there were very few vegetarian options available. Some participants also felt that the quality of the food did not match the otherwise high standard of the hotel.

To avoid similar complaints in the future, I would suggest offering a wider variety of meals, including vegetarian and other dietary options. It would also be helpful to ensure that the food is served on time and at an appropriate temperature. Finally, you may wish to ask guests about their dietary requirements in advance.

I hope you will find these suggestions helpful and take them into consideration for future events.

Yours faithfully,

Gagandeep

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified the positive aspects of the hotel, explained the specific issues regarding the lunch service, and provided 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 presented, ensuring the reader understands the context and the purpose of the communication. The structure is balanced, and the content is entirely relevant to the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, and the transition between ideas is smooth. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'To begin with,' 'In addition,' 'However,' and 'Finally,' which help guide the reader through the text. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The referencing is precise, and the flow of information is natural throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You have demonstrated a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal business context. Phrases such as 'well maintained,' 'expressed dissatisfaction,' and 'take them into consideration' are used accurately. The vocabulary is precise and contributes to the professional tone of the letter. While the range is sufficient and effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated or less common collocations could elevate the response further. However, the current usage is natural and error-free, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The grammar is highly accurate, with a variety of complex sentence structures used throughout the letter. You have successfully employed passive voice ('was served,' 'were well maintained') and conditional-like structures to express suggestions. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, demonstrating a strong command of English syntax and morphology. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of control.

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

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