Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am glad to provide my feedback on the basic beginner's cookery course I attended at your cookery school last month.

To begin with, I must say it was a rewarding experience which upgraded my cooking skills to the next level. I not only enjoyed the in-depth knowledge given during the course, but also enjoyed the group participation sessions which assisted students to practice teamwork and learn from each other's mistakes.

As my husband is a gourmet personality, I have been cooking scrumptious dishes for him almost every day since I finished the course. He is extremely proud of me and even told his friends about my innovative cooking techniques.

I suggest you introduce another course on 'Mastering Bakery' which will assist students to learn basic baking skills while mastering dessert preparations. It will satisfy the sweet tooth of those who crave cakes and desserts.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my experience, and I hope I get to enroll again in a new course.

Kind Regards,

Rashpal Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe what you enjoyed (the in-depth knowledge and group participation), explain your post-course cooking frequency, and provide a relevant suggestion for a new course. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a course director. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, and the letter maintains a consistent focus throughout. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific detail about the 'group participation' or the 'innovative techniques' to further extend your ideas, but overall, the task is fully satisfied.

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 prompt, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'not only... but also', and 'As my husband is...', which help to connect your thoughts effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure is easy to follow. The use of referencing is clear, and the flow of information is natural throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using phrases like 'rewarding experience', 'in-depth knowledge', 'scrumptious dishes', and 'innovative cooking techniques'. These choices are precise and appropriate for the context. There is a good attempt to use less common lexical items, and your word choice is generally accurate. While the vocabulary is effective, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions related to the topic of cooking or education could elevate the response further. There are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use relative clauses ('which upgraded my cooking skills', 'which assisted students') and subordinating conjunctions effectively. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors. For instance, 'gourmet personality' is a slightly unusual collocation, but it does not hinder understanding. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The majority of your sentences are error-free, showing good control over complex structures. To aim for a higher band, ensure that all collocations are natural and continue to vary your sentence length and structure.

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

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