Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my concern about the possible closure of our local sports and leisure centre. I strongly believe that this facility is very important for our community and should remain open.

My family and I visit the centre several times a week. I use the gym after work, while my younger brother attends swimming lessons every Saturday. My parents also enjoy the fitness classes, and we often play badminton together on weekends. It has become a place where we stay active and spend quality time as a family.

The sports and leisure centre is valuable because it provides affordable facilities for people of all ages. It encourages a healthy lifestyle, gives children a safe place to play sports, and allows older people to join exercise programmes and meet others. It also brings the local community together through different sports events and activities.

If the centre closes, many local residents will lose access to these facilities. Families may find it difficult to travel to another centre, and many people could become less active. This would have a negative effect on both physical health and community spirit.

I kindly request that the council reconsider its decision and keep the sports and leisure centre open.

Yours faithfully,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter fully addresses all the requirements of a formal complaint and persuasive letter regarding the closure of a local sports facility. The writer successfully adopts an appropriate tone right from the standard opening 'Dear Sir or Madam,' through to the closing 'Yours faithfully,'. The purpose of the letter is clearly stated in the first paragraph, and the subsequent paragraphs effectively elaborate on personal usage, community value, and the negative consequences of a potential closure. Ideas are well-supported with relevant examples, such as family members using the gym, swimming lessons, and fitness classes. The position is clear throughout, and all parts of the prompt are thoroughly covered without any irrelevant tangents. This fully aligns with the requirements for a Band 8 performance in Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter demonstrates a clear and logical progression throughout. Ideas are sensibly grouped into paragraphs, starting with the opening statement of concern, moving to personal involvement, outlining broader community benefits, discussing negative impacts of closure, and ending with a polite call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'and we often', 'It also', and 'If the centre closes' are used naturally and effectively to link ideas and sentences. Referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is fully appropriate for a formal correspondence. The overall structure guides the reader smoothly from the introduction to the conclusion, warranting a solid Band 8 rating for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and generally flexible range of vocabulary suited to the topic of community facilities and leisure. Expressions such as 'express my concern', 'affordable facilities', 'healthy lifestyle', and 'community spirit' show good control over common lexical items and collocations. There are also attempts at slightly less common vocabulary, such as 'reconsider its decision' and 'negative effect'. While the vocabulary is natural and adequate to convey precise meaning without any noticeable errors in word choice or spelling, it stops just short of the wide, flexible range of uncommon items required for Band 8. Therefore, a Band 7 is entirely appropriate here.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter showcases a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures used accurately. Examples of complex structures include conditional clauses ('If the centre closes, many local residents will lose...') and subordinate clauses ('I use the gym after work, while my younger brother attends swimming lessons...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is well-managed throughout the formal layout. Minor slips are virtually absent, and grammatical control remains strong from start to finish. Although the range of structures is slightly more standard than what would be expected for a Band 8, the high degree of accuracy and natural flow of complex sentences comfortably places this response at a Band 7.5, rounded to 7.5.

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

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