Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-30

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 8.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my concern regarding the possible closure of the local sports and leisure centre and to explain why this facility is particularly valuable to both my family and the wider community.

My friends and I regularly use the centre for a variety of activities. I usually visit the gym three or four times a week, while my friends often join me for swimming and indoor badminton sessions. My family also makes use of the centre, particularly at weekends, when we participate in fitness classes and spend time in the swimming pool. The centre is therefore an important part of our weekly routine and provides us with an affordable way to stay active.

More importantly, the facility plays a significant role in promoting a healthy and connected community. It provides residents of different ages with opportunities to exercise, socialise and participate in recreational activities in one convenient location. It is especially beneficial for children, older residents and people who may not be able to afford expensive private gyms or sports clubs.

If the centre were to close, many local residents would lose access to affordable sports and leisure facilities. This could discourage people from exercising regularly and potentially have negative consequences for their physical and mental well-being. In addition, residents would have to travel farther to find alternative facilities, which could be particularly inconvenient for elderly people and families with young children.

I sincerely hope that the council will reconsider the proposed closure and explore alternative ways of keeping this valuable facility open for the community.

Yours faithfully,

Manjit Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.5

Your response covers all parts of the task fully and effectively. You successfully provide clear details of how you, your friends, and your family use the centre, such as visiting the gym three or four times a week and participating in weekend fitness classes. Furthermore, you thoroughly explain why the facility is important by highlighting its role in promoting community health, and you vividly describe the possible effects of closure, including discouragement from exercising and increased travel burdens for elderly residents and families. Your tone is appropriately formal and consistent throughout the letter, fulfilling all communicative requirements with a high level of skill and relevance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.5

Your letter is exceptionally well-structured, with a clear logical progression from your opening statement of concern to your concluding appeal. Each paragraph has a distinct and unified focus: paragraph two outlines personal usage, paragraph three explains community importance, and paragraph four details the negative consequences of closure. Cohesive devices such as 'More importantly' and 'In addition' are handled smoothly and naturally without ever feeling mechanical. The paragraphing and overall flow guide the reader effortlessly through your arguments, reflecting excellent control over structural organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

You demonstrate a wide, fluent, and flexible vocabulary range with skilful control. Phrases such as 'promote a healthy and connected community', 'affordable way to stay active', and 'physical and mental well-being' show a strong command of natural collocation and topic-specific language. Word choices are precise, and you incorporate less common lexical items effectively throughout the text. While minor slips are virtually absent, a few slightly more ambitious or idiomatic expressions could push your writing even closer to absolute native-like sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.5

Your grammatical control is of a very high standard. You utilise a wide range of complex sentence structures accurately, such as the conditional clause 'If the centre were to close, many local residents would lose access...' and relative clauses like 'people who may not be able to afford...'. The vast majority of your sentences are entirely error-free, with flawless punctuation and excellent management of tense and agreement throughout. The grammatical framework supports your arguments with clarity, precision, and stylistic maturity.

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