Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear sir,

I am writing this letter to inform you that the article ,which you write in your magazine is undeniably incorrect as the information in terms of education about my town is printed in a wrong way .

I am eagerly requesting to you that the correction in an article ,since the percentage of illiterate people is much lower as compared to previous years , which you publish incorrectly.

It is imperative to publish correct data because the reputation of my area will be in risk , if people read this article around the world. Also, they will be misguided and will make an wrong image in their minds.

To solve this issue, you need to print a new magazine, which should contains authentic information ,so people can aware about the beauty and popularity of the town.

Yours faithfully,

Jagroop Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: correcting the information, explaining the importance of accuracy, and suggesting a solution. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation regarding the importance of accuracy is somewhat repetitive, and the suggestion to 'print a new magazine' is impractical and lacks the nuance expected in a formal letter. To improve, you should expand on the consequences of the misinformation and provide more realistic suggestions, such as publishing a correction in the next issue or an online update.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally awkward, such as the phrase 'I am eagerly requesting to you'. The transition between the correction of information and the explanation of why it matters is abrupt. The flow of ideas would be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the second paragraph where the connection between the illiterate population and the magazine's content is slightly disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally functional but limited. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'printed in a wrong way' instead of 'incorrectly reported' or 'inaccurate'. The phrase 'make an wrong image' is also non-standard. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precision and the reliance on basic vocabulary prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on learning collocations related to formal correspondence, such as 'rectify an error', 'misleading information', or 'uphold the reputation'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'the article, which you write' (tense error), 'the correction in an article' (article usage), and 'so people can aware' (missing verb 'be'). Sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of relative clauses. Reviewing basic sentence construction will help reduce the frequency of errors that occasionally distract the reader.

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