Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23

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 to express my concern about the possible closure of our local sports and leisure centre. I strongly believe that this centre is important for both my family and the wider community.

My friends and I regularly visit the centre to use the gym, swimming pool and indoor sports facilities. I usually go there three times a week to exercise and play badminton with my friends. My family also visits the swimming pool at weekends, and my younger brother attends swimming lessons there. Therefore, the centre has become an important part of our daily lives.

The centre is valuable because it gives local people an affordable place to exercise and stay healthy. It also provides a safe environment for children and teenagers to take part in sports and spend their free time positively.

If the centre closes, many people may become less active because private gyms are often expensive. Children could also lose access to sports activities and swimming lessons. This could negatively affect both their physical health and social lives.

I hope the council will reconsider this decision and find a way to keep the centre open.

Yours faithfully,

Hari

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly explain how you and your family use the centre, detailing specific activities like badminton and swimming lessons. The importance of the centre to the community is well-articulated, focusing on health and safety, and the potential negative effects of closure are logically explored. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council, and the purpose is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and supported, meeting all the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, ensuring the reader can follow your argument easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'It also', and 'If the centre closes' to link sentences and paragraphs effectively. The structure is coherent, and the paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body points, and conclusion. The flow of information is natural and professional throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases like 'wider community', 'stay healthy', and 'reconsider this decision' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the task, there is room to incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items to reach the highest bands. The word choice is consistently natural, and there are no spelling or collocation errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response shows good control over a variety of sentence structures. You successfully use complex sentences, such as 'If the centre closes, many people may become less active because private gyms are often expensive.' Punctuation is accurate, and the grammar is generally error-free. The majority of your sentences are well-constructed, and there are no significant grammatical slips that distract the reader. Your control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the letter.

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

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