Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-12

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I hope you are doing well,

I am here to write this letter about the incorrect information in your magazine. Since, I lived in Karachi which is the largest and busiest city in Pakistan.

In the article, you wrote the wrong information about my town. In my town, there are many largest factories in which employees are working together. There are so many A' and O' levels schools which eduactes children in a very excellent way.

Since, you wrote the incorrect information I would like to correct them. Basically, it gives an International people a very bad impact. For which they do not come here and doing jobs and educating their child. So the right information gives them very significat role in their daily lifestyle.

I am very delighted if you would change this incorrect information about my town. It is pleasure for your kind act towards this situation.

Thank you,

Yours sincerely,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all three bullet points of the task: correcting the information, explaining the importance of accuracy, and suggesting a solution. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of why accuracy is important is vague, mentioning a 'bad impact' without clearly articulating the consequences for the town's reputation or tourism. The suggestion for the magazine is also quite brief. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific details about the incorrect information and offer a more concrete, professional suggestion for how the magazine should rectify the error, such as publishing a correction in the next issue.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used, though the paragraphs are quite short and could be better developed. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'Since' and 'Basically', but they are sometimes used incorrectly or in a way that feels slightly mechanical. For example, the transition 'Basically, it gives an International people a very bad impact' is awkward and does not effectively link the previous sentence to the argument. Improving the flow between sentences and using a wider variety of linking words would enhance the overall coherence of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'eduactes children in a very excellent way' and 'right information gives them very significat role'. The use of 'International people' is also unnatural in this context. While the meaning is clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there are some spelling errors (e.g., 'eduactes', 'significat'). To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that your word choices are appropriate for a formal letter to an editor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Issues include incorrect verb tenses ('Since, I lived in Karachi'), subject-verb agreement, and article usage ('an International people'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for common grammatical slips will help improve your accuracy.

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

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