Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-29

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 this letter finds you well. I am writing to you to reflect on the significance of a sports and leisure centre for the local community and the possible efects on local people if the centre closes.

I am a resident of sacrist apartments, Barking, Greater London. I visit the sports and leisure centre with my family and friends regularly. My elder son plays soccer and he is the captain of the sports and leisure centre soccer team. Furthermore, my younger son is the captain of the centre's basketball team. For me and my wife, the centre is a socialising hub. We get to meet our neighbors there. We plan picnics there on weekends. A few days ago, the local community sponsored a concert at the centre. Therefore, we use it for multiple purposes and it has become a part of our lives.

The local community use the centre for fun, meet - ups, community meetings, fitness, sports, weddings, and so many other purposes. As members of the local community, we get additional discounts, which makes the services of the centre accessible to the whole community.

If the centre closses, the local community would be effected in all possible ways. We would not be able to arrange meet-ups and further to this, this would not be healthy for the whole community, as we do not even have parks in our society. We use the centre's services to stay fit. Additionally, lack of social gatherings will affect the mental health of our residents.

Moreover, young children will have to travel to other communities for sports and fitness, which will add up additional transport expenses and they will also not get additional discounts. Most of the families in our community will not be able to afford additional expenses. As a result, closing the centre means depriving the local community of these services.

Therefore, I would like to request you not close the sports and leisure centre.

Many thanks,

Asad

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The candidate has successfully addressed all bullet points of the task prompt in an appropriate semi-formal tone for a letter. The opening clearly states the purpose of the letter, reflecting on the sports and leisure centre. Details of how the family uses the centre are well-explained, mentioning sons playing soccer and basketball and socialising with neighbours. Furthermore, the importance to the local community and the potential effects of its closure, such as negative impacts on health, lack of parks, and increased transport expenses, are thoroughly explored. The tone is consistently polite and persuasive throughout, leading to a clear concluding request to the council. All parts of the task are well covered and developed, corresponding to a Band 7.5 descriptor profile, rounded here to a Band 7.0 for minor generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter exhibits a clear overall logical organization and progression from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect, such as personal usage, community importance, and consequences of closure. Cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'As a result' are used to connect ideas smoothly, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is handled well, with each main point allocated to its own paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional minor linking slips occur. Overall, the writing demonstrates clear coherence and appropriate cohesion, satisfying the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate ideas with adequate flexibility and precision, employing terms like 'socialising hub', 'community sponsored', and 'accessible'. However, there are some spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'efects' instead of 'effects', 'closses' instead of 'closes', and 'effected' instead of 'affected'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the lexical score from reaching higher bands. Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation, but occasional inaccuracies keep the score firmly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional forms such as 'If the centre closes, the local community would be affected in all possible ways.' There is a good variety of clauses and sentence types. However, there are notable grammatical and punctuation errors, including spelling mistakes and occasional preposition or article inaccuracies (e.g., 'not close' instead of 'not to close' or 'not closing'). Despite these errors, they rarely impede communication, and the meaning remains clear throughout. Control of grammar is generally satisfactory, warranting a Band 6.0.

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

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