Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-06
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 5.5)
Dear Sir,
I just read an article in your newspaper regarding Commercial Area of our city. In this article an author claims that all buildings are similar with eachother.
So, I want to clear some points regarding that claim.
Yes I agree that the front area of the commercial area is the same as the other side of the city but if you look the north, west and east side of the commercial area is totally different. In that place the shops are built such as in historical designs which clearly predicts our traditional and cultural theme.
On the other hand, a park is middle of the commercial area which consists on 4 kanal area is the example of the uniqueness of that place.
In that park, there is a very large track for the people which they can use for jogging and also there are place some equipments related to the gym. So they can use them for their physical and mental fitness.
I suggested that kindly raise my points through article so that people have clear understanding regarding commercial area.
Regards w
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You acknowledged the article's claim, provided specific details about your town's unique historical architecture and park, and extended an invitation for a tour. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention historical designs, you do not elaborate on what these look like. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to an editor, though the closing is slightly abrupt. To reach a higher band, ensure your arguments are more fully extended and the purpose of the letter is stated more clearly in the opening paragraph.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some basic cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'So', but the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical. There are issues with referencing; for instance, 'In that place' is slightly vague, and the transition between the park description and the invitation is abrupt. Paragraphing is present, but the structure within the paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly rather than relying on simple conjunctions.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'same', 'different', and 'very large'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'consists on 4 kanal area' (should be 'covers an area of 4 kanals') and 'predicts our traditional theme' (should be 'reflects our traditional theme'). While your meaning is generally clear, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning or architecture to demonstrate a wider range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'all buildings are similar with eachother' (should be 'similar to each other'), 'if you look the north' (should be 'if you look to the north'), and 'there are place some equipments' (should be 'there is some equipment'). The use of articles and prepositions is inconsistent. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit your score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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