Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-08

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,

I am writing to apprise you of an article published in your travel magazine that includes incorrect information of my town.

The article published last week on the "Travel India" magazine demonstrated my town Patiala as a city once observed as "King's empire", failed to provide the correct information about why the city was named after the king. The article emphasized the named "Patiala" was given by a British philosopher which contradicts the knowledge of our history that the name derives from the first name of the son of our king "Patial Singh".

It is highly imperative for such magazine to provide correct knowledge. There are multifarious reasons to this. Firstly, this caus

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 117 words long and ends abruptly mid-sentence. While the letter attempts to address the three bullet points—correcting the information, explaining the importance of accuracy, and suggesting a solution—the final point is not addressed at all due to the incomplete nature of the text. The explanation of why accuracy is important is also cut off. To improve, you must ensure you complete all parts of the prompt and meet the minimum length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter begins with a clear purpose and uses a formal tone appropriate for a letter to an editor. Paragraphing is attempted, but the abrupt ending significantly disrupts the logical flow and overall coherence of the piece. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly' are used, but because the text is incomplete, the progression of ideas is halted. To achieve a higher score, ensure that your letter is fully developed, with each paragraph logically connected and leading to a clear conclusion or call to action.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a reasonable range of vocabulary, such as 'apprise', 'imperative', and 'multifarious', which shows an attempt to use more sophisticated language. However, there are some awkward collocations, such as 'incorrect information of my town' (should be 'about') and 'demonstrated my town' (should be 'described' or 'portrayed'). The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey meaning, but the incomplete nature of the response limits the opportunity to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'on the "Travel India" magazine' (should be 'in') and 'reasons to this' (should be 'reasons for this'). Additionally, the sentence 'The article emphasized the named "Patiala" was given by...' is structurally unclear. While the errors do not completely impede communication, the incomplete sentences and minor grammatical inaccuracies prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for prepositions and ensuring sentence structures are complete and grammatically sound.

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

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