Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-29

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 write this letter to inform you that i read your article in the newspaper that was good i agree all town centres look like a similar like buildings

But i want to mention there are not all town centres are same like country club centres is totally different to the Woodgrove Centre there are different size, different map and different types of shops. Secondly if you notice there are major branches like RCB BANK, kfc and biggest food court as well as cinema also there on the other side country club centres have supplemental store dental care, grocery shops and pharmacy.

I requested to you please come to my city and make tour and saw there is really different and i hope you are really feel happy to see this. Then you again write a article on my city centres please.

Your faithfully

Abhishek

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response covers all three bullet points from the prompt: the student mentions agreeing that some buildings look similar, explains how their town centre differs by contrasting town centres and mentioning specific branches and stores, and offers a guided tour. However, the tone is rather informal and direct rather than appropriately semi-formal for a newspaper editor, and the ideas are somewhat under-developed. Furthermore, the response falls slightly short of the 150-word minimum requirement at 147 words, resulting in a minor penalty for Task Achievement. Overall, the requirements of the task are addressed, but the development and word count prevent a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter lacks proper paragraphing, as it is structured into one large, run-on block of text. Cohesive devices are minimal or misused, such as 'Secondly if you notice' and 'Then you again write'. The logical progression is difficult to follow because sentences are strung together without adequate punctuation or transition markers. While the general message is understandable, the overall arrangement is quite faulty and mechanical, reflecting the characteristics of Band 5.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, such as 'different size, different map and different types of shops' and 'really different'. There are attempts at using less common items like 'supplemental store', but word choice and collocation are frequently inaccurate. Spelling and word formation errors also appear, such as 'Your faithfully' instead of 'Yours faithfully'. The lexical range is minimally adequate for the task, causing some strain for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response contains a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences and run-on clauses joined by commas rather than proper conjunctions or full stops (e.g., 'I write this letter to inform you that i read your article in the newspaper that was good i agree all town centres...'). There are frequent errors in punctuation, capitalization (e.g., lowercase 'i'), and subject-verb agreement. Complex structures are attempted but are generally faulty. Communication is impeded by the lack of punctuation and structural control.

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

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