Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-10-21

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,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this letter to give you advice on whether you should spend a chunk of money to sponsor a local child or spend it on open-air concerts.

There are myriad benefits of opening a sports team in society. First of all, although a large number of kids are still participating in sports activities, some children are not financially stable; sponsoring those children can give a chance to succeed and feel equal.

Despite having major merits of sports teams, paying for concerts can help to bring happiness on the face of every individuals by joining concerts. It can not only give them a break from their daily routines, but also offer them a chance to meet their friends.

I would appreciate it if you could spend this money wisely. I kindly request that you, before spending money, remember the benefits of these two things.

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours Faithfully,

RRR

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You address the three requested points, but the benefits are only briefly stated and the final recommendation is not actually given. The sports-team paragraph mentions helping children who are “not financially stable” to “succeed and feel equal,” while the concert paragraph notes enjoyment, a break from routine, and meeting friends. These are relevant benefits, but they need clearer explanation and development. Most importantly, “I would appreciate it if you could spend this money wisely” does not say which option you support, so the company cannot identify your preference. State your choice directly and explain why it would be more beneficial to the local community.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening, separate paragraphs for the two options, and a closing. “First of all” and “Despite having major merits” help signal the shift between topics, and the main ideas are generally easy to follow. However, the progression is weakened because the final paragraph does not resolve the comparison or give a clear recommendation. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “I” in the opening and closing. To improve, organise the body around each option and its benefits, then use the final paragraph to compare them and state your preferred use of the money.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for the topic, including “financially stable,” “sponsoring,” “daily routines,” and “merits.” These choices show an attempt to go beyond very basic wording. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “opening a sports team” for supporting or sponsoring one, “a chunk of money,” and “bring happiness on the face of every individuals.” “A local child” also changes the task’s meaning, which refers to a children’s sports team. Aim for precise, natural collocations and check that word forms fit the sentence. For example, “bring happiness to local residents” would be clearer and more idiomatic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, and some sentences are controlled well, such as “It can not only give them a break from their daily routines, but also offer them a chance to meet their friends.” The conditional request, “I would appreciate it if you could…,” also shows some structural range. There are some grammatical errors, including the agreement problem in “every individuals” and the awkward construction “although a large number of kids are still participating in sports activities, some children are not financially stable.” The latter would be clearer if the contrast were expressed directly. Continue using varied structures, while checking agreement and sentence construction carefully.

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

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