Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-21
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
A large company in your area has decided to spend a certain amount of money, either to sponsor a local children's sports team for two years, or to pay for two open-air concerts. It has asked for feedback from the general public.
Write a letter to the company. In your letter
- describe the benefits of sponsoring the sports team
- summarise the benefits of paying for the concerts
- say how you think the company should spend the money
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 express my appreciation for allocating funds for organising events for our locality as well as giving my feedback about choosing event. Sponsoring a local children's team or arranging two open-air concerts both options have their own benefits and It is difficult to choose between them.
Open-air concerts are enjoyed by all group people. Its an event which brings joy and happiness all over the town.
On the other hand, our local children's sports team has some players who show great potential for future. I believe if they get better training under an expert coach, they will show significant improvement. In future, they may become national level player which will make our town famous.
In my opinion your company should spend the money for sponsoring our local children's sports team which will have a more positive impact for our town.
Yours Faithfully
Jamil
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 have addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You described the benefits of the sports team and the concerts, and you clearly stated your preference for the sports team. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention that the concerts bring 'joy and happiness', this could be expanded with more specific details about how the community would benefit. Similarly, the argument for the sports team is clear but could be more persuasive if you elaborated on the long-term social benefits for the youth involved. Overall, the response is relevant and fulfills the requirements of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter follows a logical structure, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each option, and a concluding recommendation. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand' and 'In my opinion' to transition between ideas. However, the paragraphing is slightly disjointed, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words. Some sentences feel a bit abrupt, and the connection between the opening statement and the rest of the letter could be smoother. Overall, the information is organized coherently, but the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your meaning, such as 'allocating funds', 'significant improvement', and 'positive impact'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'all group people' (should be 'all groups of people') and 'In future' (should be 'In the future'). While your vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the range of less common or more sophisticated items that would push the score into the higher bands. The language is generally clear and appropriate for a formal letter.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'choosing event' (missing article), 'Its an event' (should be 'It is'), and 'national level player' (should be plural 'players'). Additionally, there are some punctuation issues, such as the missing comma after 'Dear Sir or Madam'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede the overall communication of your message. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and plural forms.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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