Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-22

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,

REQUEST TO KEEP THE SPORTS AND LEISURE CENTRE STILL RUNNING

I write this letter in respect to the ongoing speculation surrounding the closure of our beloved sports and leisure centre. It is common knowledge that the center is the pride of our community and it is for valid reasons. It has been an avenue for joy and merrry, not only for personal reasons but also for the community as whole.

The center has been veryb usefulto my freinds and family. We usually gather in the venue for recreation purposes. For the kids it's a good place to play games and for the adults, it can also serve as a venue to gist and laugh over drinks and refreshments.

The center is also important for the community as it serves as a surce of revenue for the community. The center is most always flooded with people over the weekend, and traders of various consumables use tat window to make good sales. Natives of our local community who have traveled out and made a living elsewhere usually return during festive seasons and organize meet ups in the center, as it serves as a make shift hall or assembly center.

I hope with these very few points of mine I have been able to reasons, both personal and otherwise, on the need to keep our sports and leisure centre alive.

Yours Faithfully

Signed

Ahumibe Chetachi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The letter gives relevant details about family and friends using the centre, including children playing and adults meeting, and explains its community value through weekend trade and festive-season gatherings. However, the task is only partially addressed: the possible effects of closure on local people are not stated directly. The opening also refers to “ongoing speculation” rather than clearly responding to the council’s proposal, and the closing merely restates the case for keeping the centre open. Develop the consequences explicitly—for example, children losing an accessible place to play, residents losing a social meeting point, and local traders losing customers—and make a clear, appropriately formal request to the council.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable letter structure, with an opening, separate paragraphs for personal use and community importance, and a closing. The ideas within those paragraphs are generally related, and phrases such as “The center is also important” help signal a shift. However, the progression is incomplete because there is no paragraph explaining what would happen if the centre closed. Some links are awkward or repetitive, including repeated use of “The center,” while “I hope with these very few points of mine” does not connect the conclusion smoothly to the request. Organise the letter around the three task points and use clearer transitions to guide the reader from current benefits to the consequences of closure and the requested action.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The writer uses some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “recreation,” “community,” “revenue,” and “festive seasons,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is uneven, with several informal or inaccurate expressions that weaken the formal letter style: “gist and laugh,” “flooded with people,” and “make shift hall.” There are also noticeable spelling errors, such as “merrry,” “freinds,” “surce,” and “tat,” alongside inconsistent spelling of “center/centre.” Choose precise, standard expressions and proofread carefully. For example, describe the centre as a “social hub” and say that local traders “benefit from increased weekend trade.” This would make the argument clearer and more appropriate for a council audience.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The letter includes some longer sentence forms, such as the sentence explaining that returning residents organise festive-season meet-ups, and most ideas can be followed. However, control is inconsistent in several grammatical patterns. In “I write this letter in respect to,” the preposition is not used naturally; “the community as whole” is missing an article; and “I have been able to reasons” uses the wrong form after “to.” The sentence beginning “For the kids it's a good place” also shifts into a conversational construction that would benefit from more controlled formal phrasing. Use complete, carefully checked sentences, paying particular attention to articles, verb forms, and prepositions. A final proofread would help correct these errors and improve accuracy.

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