Band 9.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 9.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-14

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 9.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to the recent article about my town, which unfortunately contained some inaccurate information. I would like to correct these details so that visitors can plan their trips based on reliable information.

The article stated that our town has no public transport and that the main tourist attractions are only accessible by car. This is incorrect. In fact, we have a regular bus service connecting the town centre with the surrounding areas, and several popular attractions can easily be reached by public transport. The article also described our local museum as being closed throughout the week, whereas it is actually open from Tuesday to Sunday.

It is important for an international travel magazine to provide accurate information because tourists often rely on such articles when making travel plans. Incorrect details could cause visitors to miss attractions, waste time or spend more money than necessary. They may also leave with a negative impression of our town because of information that was not properly checked.

I would therefore suggest that the magazine publish a correction in a future issue and update the online version of the article as soon as possible. It would also be helpful to contact the local tourist information centre to verify the facts before publishing similar articles in the future.

I hope you will take these suggestions into consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Keith

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 9.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identify the inaccuracies regarding public transport and museum opening hours, explain the negative impact of such misinformation on tourists, and provide constructive suggestions for the magazine to rectify the situation. The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter to an editor, and the purpose of the communication is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and logically presented, demonstrating a strong grasp of the task requirements. There are no omissions, and the response maintains a professional and helpful stance throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 9.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose: the introduction states the purpose, the body paragraphs address the specific requirements of the prompt, and the conclusion provides a polite closing. Cohesive devices such as 'In fact', 'The article also', 'It is important for', and 'I would therefore suggest' are used naturally to link sentences and ideas. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different points, making the letter easy to follow. The flow of information is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.5

You demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary that is both precise and appropriate for the formal context of a letter to an editor. Phrases such as 'inaccurate information', 'reliable information', 'negative impression', and 'take these suggestions into consideration' are used accurately. The vocabulary is natural and sophisticated, fitting the requirements of a high-band response. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used effectively conveys your message without any ambiguity. The lexical control is consistent and demonstrates a high level of proficiency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 9.0

The response exhibits a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You successfully employ complex sentences, such as 'The article stated that our town has no public transport and that the main tourist attractions are only accessible by car,' and 'It is important for an international travel magazine to provide accurate information because tourists often rely on such articles when making travel plans.' Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no grammatical errors that impede communication. The control over tense and sentence structure is excellent, reflecting a high level of grammatical competence.

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