Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-10

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 5.0)

Dear sir

I am writing this letter to inform for you this article is not fully tru .In my way of thing this article half of rhit .

In my point of view all most all house are similar beaus all constaction are similar .The all house are look like same moreover so that will give more beuty of the place .I am agree with that .

And the second hand my tow centre is not like that.

there is lot of difference there .for example the all people are make there house there won style .The city have no involvement for that so the house shape are very different .Beaus of that the town centre are not good for looking .differant shape house can't give good aperaince for the place .

In my way of point the all house should be same style to biled so it will give good ampyance for the place .And my second

yours faithfully

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points, but the development is limited and occasionally confusing. While you state your position regarding the article, the explanation of why your town centre is different is somewhat contradictory; you argue that the lack of city involvement leads to varied house shapes, but then suggest that uniform styles are preferable for aesthetics. The tone is not consistently appropriate for a formal letter to an editor, and the final offer of a guided tour is missing, which is a key requirement of the prompt. To improve, ensure each bullet point is clearly addressed with logical, well-developed arguments that maintain a consistent viewpoint throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into paragraphs, which is a positive step, but the logical progression of ideas is frequently interrupted by unclear phrasing and a lack of cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are often missing or misused, such as 'And the second hand' and 'In my way of point'. The referencing is sometimes ambiguous, making it difficult for the reader to follow your argument. To improve, use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'however') to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-structured point.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and there are frequent errors in word choice and spelling that occasionally impede meaning, such as 'rhit' (right), 'beaus' (because), 'constaction' (construction), and 'aperaince' (appearance). You rely on basic, repetitive vocabulary to express your ideas. To reach a higher band, you should focus on learning the correct spelling of common words and expanding your range of vocabulary to include more precise terms related to urban planning and architecture. Practicing collocations will also help you sound more natural and professional in your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('all house are look like same'), article usage ('The city have no involvement'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are fragmented or lack the necessary complexity expected at higher levels. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors requires the reader to make an effort to interpret your intended message. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically subject-verb agreement and the correct use of plural nouns, before attempting more complex structures.

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

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