Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-21

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

Iam writing this letter to express my dissapointment on the article which published on erica tavel magazine thius week that i have read mis information regarding my town.

The magazine potray's that my town hyderabad doesnot have an airport, which is incorrect because we are proud of having a second largest airport after delhi airport, which is one of the busiest and biggest having being said by top most survey's in India.

whatever article is published or its gonna be published has to be facts in it, it is one of the famous and reputated publishers must have to verify the articles before even published.

I suggest to erica travel magazines to be cautious regarding misinformation being posted. Happens to every magazines but not major as yours.

regards

vishwa velma

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the central error—that the article says Hyderabad has no airport—and provide a correction, so the letter is relevant. You also address why accuracy matters by saying the magazine should verify articles, and you recommend greater caution. However, these points are only partly developed: the importance of accurate information is asserted rather than explained, and the proposed response does not say whether the magazine should publish a correction, apologise, or update the article. The airport claim is also unclear in “second largest airport after Delhi” and would benefit from precise wording. The response is below the required 150 words, leaving limited space to develop all three points. Add specific consequences for travellers and a clear corrective action.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a generally understandable sequence: you introduce your complaint, correct the airport information, explain the need for fact-checking, and make a recommendation. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages. However, the progression is brief, and the final recommendation is not clearly connected to a specific remedy. The transition “whatever article is published” is broad and does not clearly refer back to the incorrect claim. The closing is also abrupt, with “regards” placed directly after the final sentence. Use clearer links between the error, its impact on readers, and the action requested; finish with a conventional sign-off such as “Yours faithfully” and your name.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “misinformation,” “verify,” and “published,” which helps convey your complaint. However, the range is limited, and several spelling and word-choice errors make the letter less polished: “dissapointment,” “tavel,” “potray's,” and “reputated.” Some combinations are also unnatural, such as “express my disappointment on” and “having being said by top most surveys.” Choose more precise expressions, for example, “disappointed by the article,” “the article states,” and “according to official figures.” Avoid informal or vague wording such as “Happens to every magazines”; a more suitable phrase would be “Although errors can occur, this one should be corrected promptly.” Proofreading would improve clarity and register.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response communicates its main points, but grammatical control is uneven and the sentence structures are mostly simple, with attempts at longer sentences that are difficult to follow. For example, “I am writing this letter … which published … that I have read” combines clauses without a clear grammatical relationship; write “I am writing about an article I read in this week’s magazine.” In “my town Hyderabad doesnot have an airport,” the place name needs clearer punctuation and the verb phrase should be separated correctly. The sentence beginning “whatever article is published” also has an unclear structure and agreement. Use complete, controlled sentences, check articles and verb forms, and punctuate the greeting and closing appropriately. These changes would make your meaning easier to follow.

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

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