Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-04
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,
I am writing to express my concern on closing of city's sports and leisure centre. This historical building is an important part of our community. This centre is place where we connect with each other by organising various events and activities.
This centre is used by all age groups for different purposes, from maintaining their fitness to connecting with people and also for entertainement. In the evening all adults get together at this centre to relax after a long day from work, they do leisure activites which make them feel connected to neighbourhood.
if this centre closes, it will possibly reduce the connectivity of the city, especially old people who live alone.This will decrease their motivation to go out and spend some time in nature. Moreover, this place was big enough to accommodate people during events, which could be another problem. As this will also affect the phycial health of the neighbourhood because this is the only sport
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You communicate a relevant concern about the proposed closure and include examples of how people use the centre, such as adults relaxing after work and residents attending events. You also identify possible consequences, particularly reduced social contact for older people and fewer suitable spaces for events. However, the required details are only partly developed: the letter does not clearly explain how you and your own friends or family use the centre, and the centre’s wider importance to the community is asserted more than explained. The final point about effects on physical health is unfinished, and the letter lacks a clear closing request asking the council to keep the centre open. Develop these points with specific examples and a direct appeal.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable progression from stating your concern, to describing uses of the centre, and then considering the effects of closure. Linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “if this centre closes” help signal relationships between ideas. However, the organisation is not fully controlled: the opening paragraph combines the centre’s community role with events, while the next paragraph shifts between fitness, socialising and leisure without clearly separating these points. Some connections are also unclear, particularly the move from older people’s motivation to spending time in nature. The final sentence stops before completing its idea, which disrupts the ending. Use clearer paragraph purposes and complete each point before moving on.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use a relevant range of vocabulary for the topic, including “community,” “fitness,” “neighbourhood,” “accommodate” and “motivation.” These choices help convey the centre’s social and health-related value. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, which makes some meaning less clear: “connectivity of the city” is not a natural way to describe social ties, and “do leisure activities” is awkward in this context. There are also spelling errors, including “entertainement,” “activites” and “phycial.” Aim for more precise phrases such as “social connections” and “take part in leisure activities,” and proofread carefully for spelling and word forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a conditional clause in “if this centre closes” and a relative clause in “which make them feel connected.” The main ideas are generally understandable, but errors in sentence construction and punctuation sometimes make the relationships between ideas difficult to follow. For example, “I am writing to express my concern on closing of…” has an incomplete grammatical pattern, and “In the evening all adults get together…, they do…” joins two independent clauses with a comma. The final sentence beginning “As this will also affect…” is incomplete. There are also missing capital letters after full stops and at the start of a paragraph. Practise complete sentence structures and check punctuation before submitting.
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