Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-27

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,

I am writing this letter related to the decision made by the council members regarding the shutdown of the local club in my town.

This club plays a vital role in the lives of the local people residing in the area near the club because it is used by all groups. The sports area is usually utilized by kids and teenagers like us to play basketball and hockey.

Moreover, elderly humans are also observed in the club during the evening, walking on the running track including my grandparents as well.

Sports and leisure centrers are relentlessly vital because they help people to relax by playing sports, doing exercise in GYM, and talking about important or not-so-important issues with their friends. Hence, local clubs play a very important role in the physical as well as mental well-being of people.

I think that this club has become the basic necessity of all the individuals in the area as per their preferences. Unfortunately, if the club gets closed, the lives of residents of this town will be affected negatively and they will be quite disappointed with the decision of the local council.

I do not want the club to get shut down. I request you to think once again about your decision. I hope you understand.

Yours sincerely,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained how you and your family use the centre, why it is important for the community, and the negative consequences of its closure. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are slightly more developed; for instance, you could provide more specific examples of the 'negative effects' beyond just disappointment, such as the loss of social cohesion or the impact on local health statistics. Overall, the response is relevant and fully satisfies the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 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 'Moreover', 'Hence', and 'Unfortunately' to link your ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the transition between sentences is smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the letter follows a standard formal structure, which contributes to the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'vital role', 'physical as well as mental well-being', and 'basic necessity' are used effectively. However, there are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'elderly humans' (which sounds unnatural; 'senior citizens' or 'the elderly' would be better) and 'relentlessly vital' (which is an unusual collocation). While these errors do not impede communication, using more precise and natural collocations would elevate your score. You demonstrate a good attempt at using topic-specific vocabulary related to leisure and community.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound, which makes the letter easy to read. There are some minor errors, such as 'centrers' (spelling) and 'if the club gets closed' (a more formal passive construction like 'if the club were to be closed' would be preferred). You have good control over basic grammar, and your punctuation is generally accurate. To improve, try to incorporate more varied complex structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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

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