Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-10

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 6.0)

I am writing to express my concern about the possible closure of our local sports and leisure centre.

I often go to the centre with my friends after school. We usually play basketball and football there. Something my family also goes there at weekends to exercise and spend more time together. The centre is converted because it is close to our home and the prices are not very expensive.

I think the sports and leisure centre is very crucial for our local community. It gives teenagers a safe place to do sports and meet their friends. It also helps people stay healthy and active. If the centre closes, local people have fewer places to exercise and relax. Young people may spend more time at home or on their phones instead of doing sports. Some people may also need to travel another area which can be difficult and challenging.

I hope the local council will consider keeping the centre open because it’s very useful for our community.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain how you use the centre for sports and socialising, why it is vital for the community, and the negative consequences of its closure. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council. To improve, you could expand slightly on the specific benefits to the community, such as mentioning specific programs or the social cohesion the centre fosters, to move from a good response to a more comprehensive one. Your position is clear and maintained throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding sentence. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'also', 'if', and 'because' to link ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases (e.g., 'Furthermore', 'Consequently', 'In addition to this') to create a more sophisticated connection between your sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly, such as 'crucial', 'exercise', and 'challenging'. There is a minor error in the phrase 'The centre is converted', which seems to be a misuse of the word 'convenient'. While your vocabulary is adequate for the task, it is somewhat basic. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items related to community services and urban planning to demonstrate a more flexible range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional sentence 'If the centre closes, local people have fewer places...'. Most of your sentences are grammatically accurate and easy to understand. There are a few minor slips, such as 'Something my family also goes there' (likely meant 'Sometimes') and 'travel another area' (should be 'travel to another area'). These errors do not impede communication. To improve, aim for more varied complex structures and ensure consistent control over prepositions and word order.

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

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