Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-07

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing regarding your article, which I read in a national newspaper about the similarities between all the town centers in my country. Although I know the reason for you to believe this information, I would like to share some points to oppose this.

Firstly, I think the main reason for you to believe this is because of the identical structure and design of them all around the city. As a result, all the people around thought that they all have similar functionality and does not have a worth visiting all of them. Furthermore, most of them are situated in similar areas in their respective cities which give the impression of them having lack of differentiation.

I would like to inform you about the distinctiveness of our town center from the other as you will find a variety of local vendors showcasing our culture and art. On top of that you will find a multiple stalls with local produce and food items that you could not find anywhere else.

I would really appreciate if you can find some time to visit our town center, I would be delighted to show you around.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to your prompt reply.

Yours faithfully,

Bhumi.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task effectively. You clearly identified the points of agreement regarding the 'identical structure' of town centres, provided specific examples of how your town differs through local vendors and produce, and extended a polite invitation for a tour. The tone is appropriate for a letter to an editor. To reach a higher band, ensure your arguments are slightly more developed; for instance, explaining why the local produce is unique would add more depth to your position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'On top of that' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Additionally, the paragraphing is functional, but ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-defined idea. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, making the letter easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'distinctiveness', 'showcasing', and 'functionality'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'does not have a worth visiting', which is grammatically awkward. While you use some good collocations, the vocabulary is generally functional rather than sophisticated. To improve, try to incorporate more precise adjectives and idiomatic expressions that fit the formal context of a letter to an editor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that slightly impede the flow, such as 'all the people around thought that they all have similar functionality and does not have a worth visiting all of them' (subject-verb agreement and phrasing issues). Another error is 'you will find a multiple stalls', where the article 'a' is incorrectly used with a plural noun. While these errors do not prevent understanding, they occur frequently enough to limit the score.

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

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