Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-28

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

While flicking the pages of your esteemed daily, I learned about the news which claims that all the town centres in my country look identical to each other.

Although there are quite a few similarities, they still differ in many aspects. As most of the town centres are built during the mid 20th century, they might have a similar design of the government buildings such as libraries and hospitals. Moreover, the street names may be common in most of the town centres.

My town centre recently modified some of the public services. Building such as libraries have undergone architectural changes. They have converted the traditional build into a modern concrete structure with solar panels installed on the roof top in order to push the use of renewable energy. Additionally, bus stops of my town centre are also different from other towns in terms of its design, structure and colour.

I would like to offer you a guided tour of my town centre so that I can make you familiar with the difference. I am available from 4 pm to 6 pm on weekdays and 11 am to 6 pm on weekends. Make sure to inform me in advance so that I can prepare myself for the tour.

Hoping for prompt consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Achin Pal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identify the similarities you agree with, such as government building designs and street names. You then provide specific, relevant examples of how your town differs, focusing on architectural modifications and public service infrastructure. Finally, you include a polite and clear invitation for a guided tour. The tone is appropriate for a letter to an editor, and the purpose is consistently maintained throughout the text. The ideas are well-developed and directly relevant to the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from agreement to specific examples and finally to the invitation. You use cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'so that' effectively to link your points. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is easy to follow, which meets the criteria for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, such as 'esteemed daily', 'architectural changes', and 'renewable energy'. The word choice is generally precise and appropriate for the formal context of the letter. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions could elevate the response further, but the current range is sufficient for a strong score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over grammar and punctuation is strong. There are minor slips, such as 'Building such as libraries' (should be 'Buildings') and 'bus stops of my town centre are also different... in terms of its design' (should be 'their design' to agree with the plural 'stops'). However, these are rare and do not interfere with the clarity of your message. The overall grammatical accuracy is high.

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

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