Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-29

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 5.5)

Date:10/29/2026

Dear sir or madam

I read an article about town centres in my country this morning and I noticed there were some few mistakes and wrong claims. I would respectfully like to inform you that not call town centres in this country looks similar to each other.

I agree that most of towns have wide roads,footpaths and greenery but there are still some towns which are not similar at all. Like the town on the eastern part had more narrow words has much less greenery compared to the big town a little further away from there. Just like that there are also few constructions site compared to the further town. While the big town gives has the little warmer atmosphere the eastern town has much colder atmosphere also the maping of buildings,roads,footpaths,every infrastructures design are different. Yes,I agree there are some similarities like design of long bridges,some footpaths and many more.

Therefore,I would like to give a guided tour of the towns here to the writer of the aritcle and show him/her around while explaining things so they can notice the things they didn't saw before.

Thank you.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the main purpose by disagreeing with the article, acknowledging shared features such as wide roads and footpaths, and offering the writer a guided tour. The contrast between the eastern town and a larger nearby town is relevant, but the differences are not always explained clearly: for example, “narrow words” and “Just like that there are also few constructions site” leave the intended comparison uncertain. The offer of a tour is present, though it could be more specific about what the writer would see. Overall, the response covers the requested points, but the position and supporting details are limited and under-developed. Explain each difference precisely and develop the points you agree with as well as those you dispute.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you introduce your response to the article, compare two towns, and finish with an offer of a tour. Paragraphing helps separate the opening from the main comparison and closing. However, progression within the long middle paragraph is difficult to follow, as several comparisons are joined together with “also,” “Just like that,” and “While” without clear links. The reference to “the eastern town” and “the big town” is not established with enough detail, so readers may struggle to track the comparison. Use separate paragraphs for agreement and for the distinctive features, and connect each contrast explicitly—for example, “By contrast” or “Unlike the larger town.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “town centres,” “greenery,” “guided tour,” and “atmosphere,” which helps communicate the topic. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate or unclear choices make parts of the comparison hard to understand. “Narrow words” appears to be an incorrect choice for describing roads, while “mapping of buildings” and “every infrastructures design” do not express the intended idea naturally. There are also spelling errors such as “aritcle” and “maping.” Aim for precise phrases such as “narrower roads,” “the layout of the buildings,” and “construction sites.” Checking spelling and collocations would make your descriptions clearer and more appropriate for a formal letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast beginning “While the big town…” and the relative clause “which are not similar at all.” However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “not call town centres…looks similar” has problems with the verb phrase and subject–verb agreement, while “the big town gives has the little warmer atmosphere” combines incompatible verb forms. The sentence beginning “Like the town…” is also incomplete, and punctuation is inconsistent, particularly where commas run into the next word. Practise building complete comparison sentences, checking agreement and verb forms, and separating clauses with accurate punctuation.

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

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