Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-23

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 or Madam,

I am writing to express my viewpoint on your newspaper's article claiming all town centers in the country are look very similar. I am not completely agree with this claim as most of the claims are based on one book.

The one point which I like is the claim on car under parking , as most of town centers in bustling area of the city. Another thing which seems true to me is technological advancements like solar operated lifts.

There were some false claims on big parking spaces, which is not possible in every town center, as only in my city has 5 centers and all of them have different spacing options.

All in all, I loved you article and I found several things for my knowledge. I like to host you i

Yours faithfully,

Man

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points, but the development is insufficient. The response is under the 150-word minimum, which significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the ideas. While you mention points of agreement and disagreement, the explanation of why your town is unique is vague and lacks concrete detail. The final paragraph is incomplete, which leaves the task unfinished. To improve, ensure you provide specific examples of your town's unique features and ensure the letter is fully developed and meets the word count requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter has a basic structure with an introduction, body, and closing. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and occasionally mechanical (e.g., 'The one point which I like', 'Another thing which seems true'). Paragraphing is present, but the final paragraph is incomplete, which disrupts the flow of the letter. To improve, use a wider range of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, complete focus that connects logically to the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on simple phrasing such as 'The one point which I like' and 'I loved you article'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'all town centers in the country are look very similar' (should be 'look' or 'are looking') and 'I am not completely agree' (should be 'I do not completely agree'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to urban planning and descriptive adjectives.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I am not completely agree' (incorrect verb form), 'most of town centers' (missing article), and 'only in my city has 5 centers' (incorrect sentence structure). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly in the final sentence. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Proofreading for basic sentence construction errors will help improve your accuracy significantly.

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

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