Band 9.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 9.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-19

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently did a short cookery course. The cookery school has asked for your feedback on this course. Write a letter to the course director at the cookery school. In your letter

• describe what you enjoyed about the course
• say how much cooking you've done since the course
• suggest another cookery course you’d like the school to offer

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 recently completed a short cookery course at your school, and I wanted to share some feedback on my experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the course, particularly the hands-on approach the instructors took. Rather than simply demonstrating recipes, they encouraged us to prepare each dish ourselves under close guidance, which gave me much more confidence in the kitchen. I also appreciated the small class size, as it meant I received individual feedback on my technique, especially with knife skills, which I had always found intimidating before.

Since finishing the course, I have been cooking far more regularly than I used to. I now prepare homemade meals for myself several times a week instead of relying on ready-made food, and I have even hosted a small dinner for friends using techniques I learned on the course. It has genuinely changed the way I think about cooking.

Given how much I enjoyed this course, I would love to see the school offer a course focused on baking and pastry, as this is an area I have very little experience in but would like to develop further. I believe many other past students would also be interested in such a course, given how popular the savoury cooking sessions were.

Thank you again for a wonderful learning experience. I hope to join another of your courses soon.

Yours faithfully,

Rajat Kumar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly describe what you enjoyed (the hands-on approach and small class size), explain your cooking habits since the course (preparing meals more regularly and hosting friends), and provide a specific suggestion for a future course (baking and pastry). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a course director, and the ideas are well-developed and relevant. The letter is well-structured and maintains a consistent focus throughout, meeting all requirements of the prompt effectively.

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 paragraphs is smooth. You use a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Rather than simply', 'I also appreciated', and 'Given how much I enjoyed', which helps guide the reader through your feedback. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different points, and the overall structure is professional and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You demonstrate a wide and natural range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context of a formal letter. Phrases such as 'hands-on approach', 'under close guidance', 'intimidating', and 'savoury cooking sessions' show a high level of lexical control. The word choices are precise and contribute to a sophisticated tone. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is both fluent and flexible throughout the entire response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You successfully use complex sentences, such as 'Rather than simply demonstrating recipes, they encouraged us to prepare each dish ourselves under close guidance,' and 'I now prepare homemade meals for myself several times a week instead of relying on ready-made food.' Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no grammatical errors that impede communication. The majority of sentences are error-free, reflecting a strong command of English grammar.

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