Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-19

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 or Madam,

Good day, I am writing because I have read your article in the magazine and it is great that you included my hometown so that other people will know more about us. However, I noticed some inconsistencies and misinformation written in your article. I hope you don’t get offended, but I am doing this because it is important to deliver correct information especially to articles like this. Given that you are the writer, your goal is to deliver the information as accurate and timely as possible. If you have some free time, I want to have a short discussion with you for us to talk about the article. I can also help you draft another article about my town, and through that you can add more information, but this time it will be more accurate. Thank you for your time reading this and I hope to see you soon

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points, but the development is insufficient. While you mention that there are 'inconsistencies and misinformation,' you fail to actually specify what the incorrect information is. This is a critical omission for a task requiring you to 'correct the information.' Furthermore, the suggestion to have a 'short discussion' and 'draft another article' is somewhat vague and lacks the professional tone expected in a formal letter to an editor. To achieve a higher band, you must provide concrete details about the errors and offer a more formal, actionable solution, such as requesting a printed correction or an online update.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is written as a single block of text, which is inappropriate for formal correspondence. A letter to an editor should be structured with clear paragraph breaks for the introduction, the body (addressing the specific points), and the closing. While the flow of ideas is generally logical, the lack of paragraphing makes the text feel dense and less professional. Additionally, the use of cohesive devices is limited; the transition between the acknowledgement of the article and the request for a meeting is somewhat abrupt. Using more formal linking phrases would improve the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and formal tone required for a letter to an editor. Phrases like 'I hope you don’t get offended' are overly informal and conversational. You rely on basic vocabulary, such as 'great' and 'short discussion,' which does not demonstrate a wide range of lexical items. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated, topic-specific vocabulary related to journalism and formal complaints, such as 'inaccuracies,' 'rectify,' 'misleading,' or 'formal retraction.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentences, but there are noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'especially to articles like this' is awkward; it should be 'especially in articles like this.' The sentence 'I am writing because I have read your article in the magazine and it is great that you included my hometown' is a run-on sentence that would benefit from better punctuation. While the meaning is generally clear, the control over complex structures is inconsistent, and the tone is often too informal for the context.

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