Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-22

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 just read an article in your international travel magazine which has some incorrect information about my hometown, Trichy, specifically about a temple.

In the article, the operating hours of Rock Fort Temple are mentioned incorrectly. In the magazine, it is mentioned that the temple opens at 5:30 AM and closes at 11:00 AM. However, the actual timings of the temple are from 5:00 AM to 10:15 AM.

This information is particularly important because many people travel long distances to visit this temple. Due to the incorrect timings mentioned in the magazine, it has caused confusion and disappointment among tourists.

I suggest that you publish the same article in tomorrow's edition with the revised timings of the temple and highlight them so that they can gain the attention of the readers.

I request you to consider my request and take the necessary action at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully,

John

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identified the incorrect information regarding the temple timings, explained the negative impact on tourists, and provided a reasonable suggestion for rectification. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an editor. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the 'why'—for instance, by mentioning the reputation of the magazine or the specific logistical challenges tourists face when arriving at a closed temple. Overall, the task is fully covered with a clear purpose and consistent tone.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the introduction of the issue to the explanation and finally the proposed solution. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Due to', and 'In the article' effectively to link sentences. The flow is smooth and easy to follow. To improve, you could incorporate a wider variety of linking words or transition phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly, moving beyond simple conjunctions to more sophisticated cohesive structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is functional and accurate, which allows for clear communication. You use topic-specific terms like 'operating hours', 'revised timings', and 'at your earliest convenience' appropriately. While the vocabulary is sufficient for the task, it remains somewhat standard. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise or 'less common' lexical items. For example, instead of 'incorrect information', you could use 'inaccurate details' or 'erroneous reporting'. Similarly, 'caused confusion' could be elevated to 'precipitated significant inconvenience'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The grammar is generally accurate, and your sentences are easy to understand. You demonstrate a good grasp of simple and compound sentence structures. There are no major errors that impede meaning. To progress to a higher band, you should aim to include a greater variety of complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or conditional sentences (e.g., 'If the magazine were to publish a correction, it would greatly assist future travelers'). Your current control is solid, but increasing the complexity of your syntax will demonstrate a higher level of grammatical flexibility.

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

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