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 some feedback about the hotel where we recently held an all-day company meeting. Overall, the participants were pleased with the venue, but they were disappointed with the lunch that was provided.

Most of the attendees had a positive impression of the hotel. They particularly liked the comfortable meeting room, which was spacious, clean and well-equipped. The staff were also friendly and professional, and they responded quickly whenever we needed assistance. In addition, the hotel was conveniently located, making it easy for everyone to reach the venue.

However, the lunch was a major source of dissatisfaction. The choice of food was quite limited, and there were very few healthy options available. Some participants also commented that the food was served cold, while others found it rather bland. Furthermore, there were not enough vegetarian choices for those with different dietary preferences.

I would suggest that the hotel offer a wider range of dishes in future, including fresh salads, vegetarian meals and lighter options. It would also be advisable to ensure that food is kept warm and served promptly. Finally, asking organisers about dietary requirements in advance could help the hotel prepare meals that better meet guests' needs.

I hope you will take this feedback into consideration, as we would be happy to use your hotel again if the catering service is improved.

Yours faithfully,

Harwinder

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, such as the meeting room and staff, and provided specific, logical reasons for the dissatisfaction regarding the lunch, including temperature and dietary variety. The suggestions for improvement are practical and well-integrated into the letter. The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter to a manager, and the purpose of the communication is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and supported, meeting all requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which makes the information easy to follow. You have used a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In addition', 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'Finally', to link sentences and paragraphs smoothly. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure follows a standard formal letter format. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the flow of the argument is natural and coherent throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context of a formal complaint. Phrases like 'major source of dissatisfaction', 'dietary preferences', and 'take this feedback into consideration' show a good level of control. The vocabulary is precise and natural, allowing you to convey your message clearly without any ambiguity. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate, it stays within the expected range for this type of task; incorporating a few more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions could elevate this further, but the current level is already very strong and effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively, such as the use of relative clauses ('which was spacious, clean and well-equipped') and conditional structures ('if the catering service is improved'). Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over verb tenses and subject-verb agreement is consistent. The writing is polished and demonstrates a solid command of English grammar.

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