Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-11-14

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have just read an article in a national newspaper which claims that town centres in your country all look very similar to each other. You don't fully agree with this opinion.

Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper. In your letter

• say which points in the article you agree with
• explain ways in which your town centre is different from most other town centres
• offer to give a guided tour of your town to the writer of the article

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 4.0)

Deae Sir or Madam,

I am writing a letter for you because I have just read a article in your newspaper about town centres in my country that all look very similar to each other furthermore, I would likr to talk about my country town centres are not same with each other.All of these have differnnt criteria and location.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 2.5

You identify the article’s claim and state that you do not fully agree, which gives the letter a relevant starting point. However, the response is far too brief to address the task adequately: it does not specify which points in the article you agree with, give any concrete examples of how your town centre differs, or offer the writer a guided tour. The statement that town centres have different “criteria and location” is too general to explain your position. The required minimum of 150 words is not met. To develop the response, cover each bullet point explicitly and support your disagreement with specific features of your town.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 3.5

The opening establishes the topic and your general position, so the reader can see the purpose of the letter. However, the ideas are compressed into one paragraph and do not progress through the three requested points. The linking expression “furthermore” does not clearly connect the article’s claim to your disagreement, and the final sentence introduces a broad assertion without explaining it. Because the response ends after this point, there is no clear development or closing. Organise the letter into short paragraphs—for example, your response to the article, distinctive local features, and the tour invitation—and use clear links between them.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant vocabulary, including “town centres,” “similar,” “criteria,” and “location,” and the reader can understand the general topic. However, the range is narrow and several spelling or word-choice errors reduce accuracy, such as “Deae,” “likr,” and “differnnt.” The phrase “different criteria” is also vague in this context; it does not tell the reader what makes the town distinctive. Choose precise terms for actual features, such as historic buildings, independent shops, or a riverside market, if these are accurate. Proofreading spelling and selecting more specific vocabulary would make your disagreement clearer and more convincing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a longer sentence using “because” and “furthermore,” and the basic message remains understandable. However, sentence control is limited: “I am writing a letter for you because…” is an awkward construction, and “town centres are not same with each other” is missing an article and uses an incorrect comparison pattern. The sentence beginning “I have just read…” also runs several ideas together without clear punctuation. Use straightforward, complete sentences and check articles and comparison structures—for example, “town centres are not all the same.” Adding a few accurately controlled complex sentences would help you express the reasons for your view.

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

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