Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-06

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 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my concern about an article published in your recent issue describing my hometown. Although the article was interesting, it contained several factual errors that could mislead your readers.

The article stated that our town is a small village with very few tourist attractions. In fact, it has developed into a modern city with a population of 600,000 people. It is well known for its historic landmarks, beautiful parks, local hosiery market, and lively cultural scene. The article also mentioned that public transport is unreliable, whereas our city has an efficient and very frequent network of buses and trains that makes travelling convenient for both residents and visitors.

It is important for your magazine to publish accurate information because many people rely on travel magazines when planning their holidays. Incorrect details may give readers a false impression of a destination, causing them to rethink about their decisions. Furthermore, misinformation can damage the reputation of the town and negatively impact the local tourism industry.

I would appreciate it if you could publish a correction in your next issue and update the online version of the article with the correct facts. it would also be helpful if future articles were checked more carefully before publishing to validate the information.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to seeing the issue resolves.

Yours faithfully,

Brian Adamson

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly identified the inaccuracies regarding the town's size and transport, explained the importance of accuracy for readers and the local economy, and provided a constructive suggestion for the magazine to issue a correction. The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter to an editor. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. You have maintained a professional stance throughout, ensuring all requirements of the prompt are met effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. You have used a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Furthermore', 'In fact', and 'Although', which help to link your arguments. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure follows the conventions of a formal letter. The referencing is clear, and the flow of information is natural, making the text easy to follow from the opening to the closing.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal context. Phrases such as 'factual errors', 'mislead your readers', 'lively cultural scene', and 'negatively impact' show a level of precision and sophistication. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and natural, there is room to incorporate slightly more varied or idiomatic expressions to reach the highest band. However, the current range is more than sufficient to convey your message clearly and professionally without any noticeable errors in word choice or collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing displays a good command of both simple and complex sentence structures. You have used a variety of grammatical forms, such as conditional structures and relative clauses, with a high degree of accuracy. There are very few errors; for instance, 'seeing the issue resolves' should be 'seeing the issue resolved'. This is a minor slip that does not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and tense consistency is strong throughout the letter.

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

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