Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-07-29

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have just read an article in an international travel magazine which contained some information about your town that is incorrect.

Write a letter to the editor of the magazine. In your letter

• correct the information in the article
• explain why it is important for the magazine to give correct information
• suggest what the magazine should do about this situation

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 8.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to inform you that your recent article about my town contains several pieces of incorrect information that may mislead readers.

The article states that public transportation in our town is very limited and that most tourist attractions are closed during weekends. In fact, the town has a reliable bus service operating throughout the week, and popular attractions such as museums, parks, and historical sites remain open on weekends.

Your magazine needs to publish accurate information because many people rely on it when planning their holidays. Incorrect details could discourage potential tourists from visiting the town or cause unnecessary inconvenience during their trip. Furthermore, inaccurate reporting may damage the reputation of both the destination and your magazine.

I would appreciate it if you could publish a correction in your next issue and update the online version of the article as soon as possible. This would ensure that future readers receive reliable information and continue to trust your publication.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to seeing the necessary corrections.

Yours faithfully,

Akshay Kumar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly identify the incorrect information regarding public transport and weekend opening hours, explain the negative impact on potential tourists and the magazine's reputation, and provide a constructive suggestion for a correction. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an editor, and the purpose is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and logically presented, meeting all the requirements of the prompt effectively. There are no omissions, and the response maintains a consistent focus on the task throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is well-structured with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, starting with the purpose, moving to the details, the impact, and finally the suggested resolution. Cohesive devices such as 'In fact', 'Furthermore', and 'This would ensure' are used effectively to link ideas and sentences. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall readability of the letter. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between the ideas is easy to follow, demonstrating a high level of control over the structure of the correspondence.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal letter. Phrases such as 'mislead readers', 'reliable bus service', 'unnecessary inconvenience', and 'inaccurate reporting' are used accurately and naturally. The vocabulary is precise and fits the context well. While the range is sufficient to convey your message clearly and professionally, there is room to incorporate slightly more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations to reach the highest band. However, the current usage is error-free and highly effective for the task requirements.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The writing displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You use a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences like 'I would appreciate it if you could publish a correction...', which are handled correctly. Punctuation is used accurately throughout, and there are no noticeable errors in tense, subject-verb agreement, or word order. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over complex structures is consistent. The writing is professional and flows naturally, reflecting a strong command of English grammar.

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