Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-09-11
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,
I am writing you this letter to inform that recently I read an article in an international travel magazine which name was Global News but it contained some wrong information about my town.For instance,there are robbery cases are rapidly increase in my town,this information is mentioned in the magazine but it was wrong.But actually that there are no any kind of robbery cases in my town.All people are very kind and humble in my town and stands for everybody to help them in any situation.
As this is a international magazine that's why they should make sure about that they should not give incorrect information to the people.Because it can reduce our reputation of our town and can spread wrong awareness to people.Consequently,it get bad impact on people's mind who read magazine pn regular basis.
I request you should change this information as soon as possible.I hope you can understand my concern.If you change this news,it will be great for us.
Yours faithfully,
Tina shah.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| 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 prompt: correcting the information, explaining the importance of accuracy, and suggesting a solution. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an editor. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation regarding why accuracy is important is a bit repetitive, and the suggestion for what the magazine should do is quite brief. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more specific details or a more sophisticated explanation of the consequences of the misinformation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the introduction to the body and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For instance, the transition 'Consequently, it get bad impact' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the phrase 'make sure about that they should not give'. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would enhance the overall cohesion of the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be understood clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'reputation' and 'concern'. However, the range is limited, and there are instances of awkward word choice and collocation, such as 'reduce our reputation' (should be 'damage' or 'tarnish') and 'wrong awareness' (which is not a standard collocation). There are also minor errors in word formation, such as 'pn' instead of 'on'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary and idiomatic expressions suitable for a formal complaint.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'I am writing you this letter to inform that' (missing 'you'), 'there are robbery cases are rapidly increase' (incorrect verb tense and structure), and 'it get bad impact' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after commas and periods. While the meaning remains clear, the high frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct verb tenses will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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