Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-31

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 publisher,

Today I am writing this letter to inform you that yesterday I read an article which you published in national newspaper So, It was showing all town centres similar to each other.

I have been reading your article last week. However, I saw a lot of town houses in my city looking same which is very difficult to every person to find suitable place. While some things are quite good in this article about the structure of town centres you have mentioned .

Apart from that, my living place is extremely fabulous as compared to other centres because It provides quick service to their tenants. Like fast wifi, laundary machine etc.

I would be thankful If you will focus on my town because It is good place for tourism. So please give information about it in your article so, people will come .

Thank you

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points, but the development is insufficient. While you mention agreeing with the article regarding town centre structures, your explanation of how your town differs is vague, focusing on amenities like 'fast wifi' rather than the architectural or cultural character requested by the prompt. Furthermore, the invitation to a guided tour is included but lacks the necessary persuasive tone. Because the response is under the 150-word minimum, the task is not fully completed, which significantly impacts the score. To improve, ensure each bullet point is expanded with specific, relevant details that directly address the prompt's context.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is logically organized into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is often mechanical. Transitions like 'Apart from that' and 'So' are used, but they do not always create a smooth progression of thought. The referencing is sometimes unclear; for instance, the transition from discussing the newspaper article to your own town is abrupt. Paragraphing is present, but the structure is quite basic. To improve, use a wider variety of cohesive devices to link sentences and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that connects back to the main purpose of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You rely on basic descriptors such as 'good' and 'fabulous' to describe your town, which lacks the precision required for a formal letter to an editor. There are also issues with word choice, such as 'living place' instead of 'hometown' or 'residential area', and 'tenants' when referring to town residents. Spelling errors like 'laundary' further detract from the quality of the writing. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise, topic-specific vocabulary and ensure correct spelling of common words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I have been reading your article last week' (incorrect tense usage) and 'It is good place for tourism' (missing articles). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with spaces placed incorrectly before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors suggests a lack of control over complex structures. Focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and tenses.

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

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