Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-25
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 5.5)
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing this letter to express my sincere interest in how sports and leisure center is important for our society and there would be negative effects if this center will shut down.
Me along with my friends and family members goes to this center everyday to play badminton and for swimming. We also have some get-togethers in this building.
Also, our other society members have their classes such as gym and yoga. Children also use this center for playing games after their school hours, as parents feel this place much safer than sending them to other parks. In addition to this, old age group also use cafes and common areas to spend their time.
If this center will close, it will have negative effects on our lives, as we have to plan everything somewhere else which will be a time waste for all of us.
Looking forward for your response.
Thankyou
Yogita.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
You have addressed all three bullet points of the prompt. You mentioned how you use the centre (badminton, swimming, get-togethers), explained its importance (classes, safety for children, social space for seniors), and described the effects of closure (inconvenience and time loss). However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the impact of closure is described very briefly. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detail or specific examples to demonstrate the depth of the centre's value to the community. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Also', 'In addition to this', and 'If this center will close'. While these are functional, the progression of ideas is sometimes a bit mechanical. The paragraphing is clear, which helps the reader follow your argument. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences feels more natural rather than relying on simple additive connectors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use relevant terms like 'leisure center', 'get-togethers', and 'society members'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as using 'society' when 'community' would be more natural in this context. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to community services and the impact of their potential closure, rather than relying on general terms like 'negative effects'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, subject-verb agreement issues are present, such as 'Me along with my friends... goes' (should be 'go') and 'old age group also use' (should be 'the elderly' or 'the older age group'). Additionally, there are errors in conditional structures, such as 'If this center will close, it will have' (should be 'If this center closes, it will have'). While these errors do not prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to impact the overall accuracy of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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