Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-30

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 5.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to express my concern regarding the sports centre news that it is being permanently closed. However, I and every resident of this area do not want it to be shut down because it serves the community in various ways. I am not the only individual who enjoy playing here, but my family and all of my friends love to spend their quality time in this centre.

Because it is the only place where regional games are held, I feel it should be kept open. Otherwise, there would not be any place to conduct the community fitness seasonal sports meet. Not only does it help society as a playground, but it also serves the senior citizens a place where they can perform their daily walk. Thus, owing to these benefits, this centre should not be closed.

As I mentioned, it is the only place to conduct sports meet and place of daily walk or jog. If this place is turned down, these activities will be automatically turned down. People of the surrounding area may face some health issues due to less physical activities.

Yours faithfully,

Abhishek Kumar.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points and maintain a clear position: you oppose closure, describe your family’s and friends’ use of the centre, and explain possible community effects. The examples of regional games, a seasonal sports meet, and older residents’ daily walks make the letter relevant. However, some points are asserted rather than developed. For instance, saying residents may face health issues would be more convincing if you explained how losing regular exercise could affect them or gave a specific example of who relies on the centre. The opening also refers to “sports centre news” without clearly identifying the council’s proposal. Develop the consequences and your personal use in a little more detail to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening statement, a paragraph about the centre’s community role, and a final paragraph about the consequences of closure. This gives the reader a general sense of progression, and linking expressions such as “Otherwise,” “Thus,” and “As I mentioned” help connect ideas. However, the final paragraph repeats the point that the centre is the only place for sports and walking rather than advancing the argument with a distinct consequence. Some connections are also mechanical, particularly “As I mentioned,” which signals repetition. Organise each body paragraph around a separate task point and use clearer references between ideas so the progression feels more deliberate.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of relevant vocabulary, including “community,” “senior citizens,” “physical activities,” and “permanently closed,” so the main message is clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “express my concern” and “owing to these benefits.” However, several choices are unnatural or imprecise: “sports centre news,” “turned down” for a facility being closed, and “conduct the community fitness seasonal sports meet.” “Serve the senior citizens a place” is also an awkward collocation. These choices make parts of the letter less fluent, even though the reader can understand the intended meaning. Aim for natural combinations such as “the council’s proposal,” “hold a sports event,” and “provide a place for older residents to exercise.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including “Because it is the only place where regional games are held” and the inversion “Not only does it help society…”. Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “I and every resident… do not want” has awkward subject order and agreement, while “my family and all of my friends love” is followed by the incorrect relative clause “who enjoy.” The phrase “serves the senior citizens a place” also has an incorrect sentence pattern, and “place of daily walk or jog” is missing an article and a clearer grammatical construction. Review subject–verb agreement, relative clauses, and verb patterns after “serve” to improve accuracy while retaining your complex sentences.

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

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