Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 14 · 2026-10-23

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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to inform about the post on my town Ottawa which seems to be incorrect in the magazine of international travel by describing it as " dark and muted " in your experience.

As mentioned in the article about the increasing number of homeless people living on the curb consuming drugs and raised question about no government intervention to control the situation is false. In the past year, officials intervened and offered rehabilitation service to the addicted to raise awareness and make the surrounding environment safe for normal people.

This needs to be updated in the revision of article to include efforts from the government and thereby changing the narrative of the judgement conveyed to the reader's. In addition, there are many wonderful places in the Capital like local shops, pubs, eatery, malls and spots at Rideau Canal where yong people meet and enjoy their evening and spent time.

I believe as renowned magazine your verdict can change people's mind and bring unnecessary hate to the town. This needs to be addressed with an apology in next edition with more neutral tone to the overall topic.

Thanks for the time and consideration.

Kind Regards,

Alex

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three requested points: you dispute the description of Ottawa, explain that inaccurate reporting can create “unnecessary hate,” and ask for an apology and a more neutral tone in the next edition. The correction is relevant and includes examples of government rehabilitation efforts and local attractions. This gives the letter a clear purpose and position. However, some details are not fully explained: the article’s claim about government inaction is called “false,” but the specific interventions and their outcomes remain general, and the importance of accurate information could be linked more directly to readers’ travel decisions and perceptions. Developing these points with precise evidence would make the response more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: it introduces the complaint, presents the correction, explains the potential harm, and proposes a response. Paragraphing helps distinguish these functions, and phrases such as “In addition” and “thereby” attempt to connect ideas. The progression is generally understandable, but some links are awkward or unclear. For example, “This needs to be updated in the revision of article” does not specify exactly what information should be revised, while the transition from government services to local shops and attractions feels abrupt. The closing is also somewhat informal for a letter to a magazine editor. Use clearer references and more deliberate transitions so each paragraph develops one point smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use a reasonable range of topic-related vocabulary, including “rehabilitation service,” “surrounding environment,” “narrative,” and “neutral tone.” These choices show an attempt to express nuanced ideas, and the meaning is generally recoverable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “the post on my town,” “in your experience,” “raised question,” and “verdict.” There are also spelling and form errors, including “yong” and “reader’s.” These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and naturalness. Choose conventional expressions for correcting a published article, and check spelling and possessive forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a sentence beginning “As mentioned in the article” and a clause explaining the effect of government action. The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors make parts of the letter less controlled. For example, “I am writing to inform about” is missing a grammatical object or structure, and “the increasing number of homeless people … and raised question” does not maintain a parallel construction. In “offered rehabilitation service to the addicted,” article and plural choices are also problematic. Review sentence structure, agreement, and articles, and break up long sentences when their relationships become difficult to manage.

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

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