Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-20

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. As a member of local community I really want you to rethink of your decision to close the sports and leisure centre.

This sports centre has been opened for a very long time in our area. I go to the centre with my friends and family members every evening after finishing the school, and it is the most relaxing time that we ever spend on any other place. We usually play tennis in our free time there, and we also use pool in our summer vacations.

I feel this centre is very important for the local community, because in this fast paced life everyone needs some pace to relax their mind, and what can be the better than this sports centre?

There will be several effects on the local community if the centre closes. The main effect will be that the community member will no longer have a place to have a get together. This is the main area where people from different backgrounds meet each other and share their experience. We need to build a stronger connection between the community members.

In conclusion, I really think that the sports and leisure centre is a great part of our lives where we spend our valuable time and make great connections with other people. I would really appreciate if you have a suggestion with local people regarding this topic.

Thanks

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly explain how you use the centre for tennis and swimming, why it is important for mental relaxation, and the negative impact of its closure on community cohesion. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific detail or 'real-world' examples of how the centre benefits different age groups or specific local initiatives, which would further develop your ideas and demonstrate a more sophisticated engagement with the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each point, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'because', 'therefore' (implied), and 'in conclusion', though the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly. Some transitions feel slightly mechanical, but the overall progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'fast-paced', 'backgrounds', and 'valuable time'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'rethink of your decision' (should be 'rethink your decision') and 'use pool' (should be 'use the pool'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly, it lacks the precision and variety of less common lexical items that would characterize a higher band score. Focusing on collocations would help improve your lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'As a member of local community' (missing 'the'), 'after finishing the school' (unnecessary 'the'), and 'what can be the better than this' (should be 'what could be better than this'). These errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing your use of error-free complex sentences would significantly improve your performance in this criterion.

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

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