Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-20

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing because your international travel magazine has false information about my hometown.

According to this magazine's information, my town has 3 churches, but in reality it has 4 churches. The new church was just built last month. Hence, I believe it should be updated.

It is crucial for a well-known magazine to have accurate information. Since it is popular among many nations, I reckon that your team should verify the articles before printing them. As you are the paramount source of news for the population, you should be careful before revealing anything to people.

Now, the information has already reached to the individuals. I suggest you should publish another article regarding the incorrection and show the true information about my city.

I will wait for your response in this matter. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Your Sincerely,

Sara

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly identified the error regarding the number of churches, explained the importance of accuracy for a reputable magazine, and provided a constructive suggestion for rectification. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an editor. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, meeting the requirements of the prompt effectively. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the potential impact of the misinformation on tourism or the local community to add more depth to your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear structure, including a formal opening and closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which aids readability. You use some cohesive devices such as 'According to', 'Hence', and 'Since', which help link ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is a bit abrupt. Overall, the progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'crucial for a well-known magazine' and 'paramount source of news' are effective. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'regarding the incorrection' (which should be 'correction' or 'error') and 'reached to the individuals' (which is grammatically awkward). Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise collocations would enhance the sophistication of your writing. The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the context of a formal complaint.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'reached to the individuals' (unnecessary preposition) and 'Your Sincerely' (should be 'Yours sincerely'). Additionally, 'I reckon' is slightly too informal for a letter to an editor; 'I believe' or 'I suggest' would be more suitable. Despite these errors, the grammar does not impede communication, and you show a good grasp of basic sentence construction. Increasing the variety of complex structures would help improve this score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.