You have just read an article in a national newspaper which claims that town centres in your country all look very similar to each other. You don’t fully agree with this opinion. Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper. In your letter: - say which points in the article you agree with - explain ways in which your town centre is different from most other town centres - offer to give a guided tour of your town to the writer of the article
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam,
I have recently read your article claiming that town centres in our country look very similarabout town centres in our country looking very similar, and while I agree with some of your points, I feel that this generalisation does not fullyentirely reflect the diversity of our towns. Please allow me to elaborate.
You rightly pointed out that many high streets feature the same chain stores and modern developments, making them appear alike. Additionally, the rise of shopping malls has contributed to greater uniformitya certain uniformity in urban areas. However, I believe that each town still retains its unique character, shaped by its history, architecture, and local businesses. For example, my town, Nashville, stands out due to its well-preserved historic buildings, independent boutiques, and vibrant cultural scene. Unlike many towns, our centre has a 19th-century marketplace that still hosts weekly farmers’ markets, giving it a distinct charm. FurthermoreAdditionally, we have a beautifully restored town hall that frequently hosts local events and exhibitions.
I would be delighted to offer the writer of the article, Mr Albert Warner,the article - Mr Albert Warner, a guided tour of our town to showcase its distinctive charactershowcase its individuality. Please feel free to get in touch if this is of interest.
Yours faithfully,
Clara Lockwood
Why this response received Band 8.0
This is a highly effective formal letter, with a clear position, specific agreement with the article, vivid distinguishing features, and a courteous tour offer. Its main limitation is minor stylistic repetition and slightly awkward punctuation around the writer’s name; the highest-priority refinement is to tighten linking so the contrast develops without repeating ‘Additionally’ and to punctuate the final offer more cleanly.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The response fully achieves the purpose by addressing every bullet point directly, developing the town’s distinctive features, and maintaining an appropriate formal register.
For an even more compelling tour offer, briefly name one or two specific stops the writer would be shown.
Coherence and Cohesion
Clear paragraphing and well-managed contrast create an easy progression from partial agreement to local evidence and the concluding invitation.
Vary the linking between supporting details so that ‘Additionally’ is not repeated in close succession.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise, and natural, with effective choices such as ‘uniformity,’ ‘well-preserved,’ and ‘vibrant cultural scene.’
Continue refining stylistic economy by avoiding small repetitions of words such as ‘town’ and ‘article’ where reference is already clear.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence forms is used accurately and flexibly, with only a minor punctuation lapse in the final paragraph.
Set the writer’s name off with commas, or omit it, rather than using a spaced hyphen within the tour offer.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You have just read an article in a national newspaper which claims that town centres in your country all look very similar to each other. You don’t fully agree with this opinion. Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper. In your letter:
- say which points in the article you agree with
- explain ways in which your town centre is different from most other town centres
- offer to give a guided tour of your town to the writer of the article
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.