IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: International Food Festival Letter
The Task:
You are a member of an International Students’ club. The club is organising an event to celebrate popular food from around the world.
Write a letter to the event organiser, Luis. In your letter:
- offer to make a popular dish from your country
- describe what this dish is
- explain why it should be included in the event
Write at least 150 words.
Task 1
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Band 9 Model Answer
Dear Luis,
I am writing to express my excitement about the upcoming international food festival our club is organizing. I would love to volunteer to prepare a traditional dish from my home country, Türkiye, for the event.
I propose making ‘Mantı’, which are essentially miniature Turkish dumplings. They are crafted from handmade dough, generously filled with seasoned minced meat and finely chopped onions. Once boiled to perfection, these bite-sized dumplings are served warm, smothered in a rich, garlicky yogurt sauce, and drizzled with sizzling melted butter infused with red pepper flakes and dried mint.
I strongly believe Mantı would be a fantastic addition to the festival’s menu. Firstly, it is a quintessential representation of our culinary heritage and is widely considered a supreme comfort food. Secondly, because the dumplings are quite small, it is incredibly easy to serve them in tasting portions, allowing a large number of attendees to sample the dish without needing full plates. Finally, the communal aspect of preparing and sharing this meal aligns perfectly with the inclusive spirit of our International Students’ club.
Please let me know if this sounds like a good fit for the celebration. I am more than happy to adjust the quantity based on the expected number of guests.
Best regards,
Emre Yılmaz
💡 Why this is a Band 9 Answer:
- Task Achievement: All three bullet points are covered comprehensively. The tone is perfectly semi-formal, striking the right balance between friendly club member and organized volunteer.
- Coherence & Cohesion: Ideas flow logically. Excellent use of sequencing words (Firstly, Secondly, Finally) makes the justification section incredibly easy to read and score.
- Lexical Resource: Uses mouth-watering and precise descriptive vocabulary (miniature Turkish dumplings, smothered in a rich garlicky yogurt sauce, quintessential representation, culinary heritage).
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Showcases a variety of complex structures without errors, such as passive voice and relative clauses (“Once boiled to perfection, these bite-sized dumplings are served warm…”).
IELTS General Training Writing Task 2: Paying for Domestic Chores and Childcare
The Essay Topic:
It is sometimes possible to pay somebody to do things you don’t want to do, or don’t have time to do, for example, household chores or looking after children.
Is this a good way of providing work for others?
Should people do these things themselves?
Write at least 250 words.
Task 2
Band 9 Model Essay
In contemporary society, it has become increasingly common for individuals to outsource domestic responsibilities, such as cleaning or childcare, to paid professionals. This trend raises questions regarding the economic implications and personal responsibilities involved. In my view, delegating these tasks is an excellent method of generating employment, although individuals should still maintain a basic level of self-sufficiency and personal involvement in their households.
Outsourcing domestic labor is undeniably a positive avenue for job creation. As the modern workforce becomes more demanding, professionals often find themselves time-poor. By hiring domestic help, they inject money directly into the local economy and create vital employment opportunities. For many, such as students, recent immigrants, or those seeking flexible working hours, domestic work provides a crucial source of income. For instance, the growing demand for nannies and professional cleaning services has allowed countless individuals to build sustainable businesses and support their own families. Therefore, paying for these services is not merely a personal convenience, but a micro-economic driver that benefits the wider community.
Conversely, there is a valid argument that people should manage their own personal affairs to a certain extent. Relying entirely on hired help can lead to a loss of fundamental life skills, particularly in younger generations who may grow up without knowing how to maintain a home. Furthermore, when it comes to raising children, excessive outsourcing can be detrimental. While hiring a childminder for working hours is often a necessity, parents must ensure they remain the primary caregivers to foster a strong emotional bond and instill core values in their offspring.
In conclusion, paying others to undertake household chores and childcare is a highly effective way to stimulate local employment and alleviate the pressures of modern life. However, this should ideally be balanced with a degree of personal involvement to preserve essential life skills and maintain strong familial connections.
💡 Why this is a Band 9 Answer:
- Task Response: Fully addresses both questions in the topic. It explores the economic benefits of providing work while also addressing the nuance of why people should still retain some personal responsibility.
- Coherence & Cohesion: The essay uses a highly effective four-paragraph structure. Transition words are used seamlessly to guide the reader (In contemporary society, Conversely, Furthermore, In conclusion).
- Lexical Resource: Employs sophisticated, topic-specific vocabulary naturally (outsource domestic responsibilities, self-sufficiency, micro-economic driver, fundamental life skills, detrimental).
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Demonstrates complete mastery of complex sentence structures, conditionals, and academic phrasing, maintaining an objective and persuasive tone throughout.
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