Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Write a letter to the local council. In your letter

• give details of how you and your friends or family use the centre
• explain why the sports and leisure centre is important for the local community
• describe the possible effects on local people if the centre closes

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter on behalf of the community and request that you think again about your decision to close the community centre permanently.

We use this amenity for various purposes. I personally use the gym section to develop my muscles and build strength. My parents and grandparents use it for regular exercise in the morning, which helps them to stay fit. Moreover, my friends and colleagues frequently visit this centre to learn swimming.

This community centre is significantly important for us. It not only provides us with the essential services but also helps us to maintain our fitness. In addition, the location of this centre plays an important role, as it is quite accessible through the public transportation system.

If it closes permanently, people would have to search for other alternative options, such as private gyms and swimming pools. This would be quite expensive and would become a burden on their financial situation.

I hope you consider looking again into this matter, as it is closely attached to the local community,

Yours faithfully,

Bharat Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt effectively. You clearly explained how you and your family use the centre, why it is important, and the negative consequences of its closure. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, providing a clear position throughout the response. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific detail regarding the 'essential services' mentioned, perhaps by naming a specific facility or program that would be missed, which would further strengthen the argument for the centre's importance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a formal closing. You have used cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'If it closes' to link your ideas effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the task. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text. The structure is coherent and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases like 'amenity', 'accessible', and 'financial situation' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the task, it is somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items to express your points with more nuance. For example, instead of 'think again', you could use 'reconsider the proposal', and instead of 'burden', you might use 'financial strain'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your writing displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You have used conditional sentences ('If it closes... people would have to...') and relative clauses effectively. The grammar is generally accurate, and there are no errors that impede communication. Punctuation is used correctly for the most part, although there is a minor comma splice error in the final sentence ('...local community,'). Overall, the control of grammar is strong, with the majority of sentences being error-free, which is consistent with the requirements for this band.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.