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User-written IELTS example

Writing General Training Task 1 Band 8.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

191 words General TrainingTask 1Letter
Task 1 Letter

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Explain why the festival matters: describe its importance as both a celebration and a cultural tradition.
  • Show how people celebrate through concrete customs, such as preparing traditional food, sharing it with family and visiting relatives.
  • Add a personal detail about what you enjoy most, such as the atmosphere, time with family or a particular traditional dish.

Suggested structure

  1. Greet your friend and respond to their request.
  2. Introduce the country and state the importance of the festival.
  3. Describe preparations and key celebration customs in a logical order.
  4. Explain what you personally like and why.
  5. Close by offering further help with the project.
Useful vocabulary & examples
auspicious time
A time regarded as especially favourable for an event or action.

At an auspicious time, families light the hearth and prepare kiribath.

traditional dish
A food associated with the customs and culture of a place or community.

Kiribath is a traditional dish that many families prepare for New Year.

festive atmosphere
A cheerful mood associated with a celebration.

I enjoy the festive atmosphere when relatives and neighbours celebrate together.

bring people together
To encourage people to meet, share time or feel connected.

Traditional games bring people together during the New Year celebrations.

Task Prompt

your English-speaking friend has asked for your help with a college project he or she is doing about celebrating Nes Year in different countries. write a letter to your friend. in your letter write a letter to your friend.in your letter : 1 say how important new year is to people in your country . 2describe now new year is celebrated in your country . 3 explain what you like about New Year celebrations in your country.

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 8.0

Dear Alex, Thank you for reaching out and including me in your project about New Year celebrations around the world. I’m really happy to share how New Year is celebrated in my country, Sri Lanka. New Year is extremely important to us, not just as a celebration but as a cultural and traditional event. We celebrate it in April, when Sinhala and Tamil communities welcome the New Year. Many families prepare for the occasion by cleaning their homes and cooking traditional food. At an auspicious time, people light the hearth and prepare kiribath, a special milk rice dish. Families then share food, exchange gifts and visit relatives. There are also traditional games, which children and adults enjoy together. What I like most is the warm, joyful atmosphere. People make time for their families and neighbours, and even simple activities feel special when everyone joins in. I also love the traditional food, especially kiribath, because it makes the celebration feel closely connected to our culture. I hope these details are useful for your project. Let me know if you’d like to hear more about any of the traditions. Best wishes, [Your name]

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Make the cultural importance more concrete by adding one brief explanation of how the New Year brings families or communities together.
2
Keep the celebration details in a clear order: preparations, auspicious-time customs, shared activities, then your personal favourite.
3
Use “New Year” for the main topic, but vary later references with “the festival” or “the occasion” where the meaning remains clear.

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