Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-08-30
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 madam,
My purpose to write this letter to pay your attention on the article which needs to be correct .
My name is Rema I am the resident of Cloverdale . Yesterday , i was reading the article in an international travel magazine which contained some wrong information about my town . There is a big plaza for shopping with have lots of showrooms but in the writing it is telling that there is no near place for marketing people should go for that very far which is very incovenient Moreover , transportation services are not frequent . People should have to wait for a long time . that is no correct .
Most of the population read your magazine So it need corrections . I will be thankful if you will change the statement .Looking for your prompt action will help people to gain right knowlage of this town.
You sincerely,
Rema
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all three bullet points of the task: correcting the information, explaining the importance of accuracy, and suggesting a solution. However, the development is quite limited. The correction regarding the plaza and transportation is somewhat vague, and the explanation of why accuracy matters is brief. While the tone is appropriate for a letter to an editor, the ideas are not fully extended. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific details about the town's facilities and elaborate further on the potential negative impact of the misinformation on the local community or the magazine's reputation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is somewhat disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is minimal and occasionally mechanical, such as the abrupt transition 'Moreover'. Some sentences are short and choppy, which affects the overall progression of the argument. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly in the second paragraph where the connection between the magazine's readership and the need for corrections could be more explicitly linked. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms like 'wrong information', 'big plaza', and 'near place'. There are also some errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'incovenient' (inconvenient) and 'knowlage' (knowledge). While the meaning is clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated lexical items. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure accurate spelling of common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'My purpose to write this letter to pay your attention on the article', which should be 'My purpose in writing this letter is to draw your attention to the article', and 'People should have to wait', which is redundant. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with misplaced spaces before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic sentence construction prevents a higher 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.