Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You enjoy walking in the countryside near your home. However, you are noticing that there is more and more litter left there by other walkers.

Write a letter to your local newspaper. In your letter

• say why you enjoy walking and where

• describe the litter you have seen on your walks

• suggest what might be done about the problem

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 hope you are doing well. I am local resident of this city. Today, i am writing this letter regarding litter left by people who walking near the waterfornt. people are sitting on banch and they forgot to throw the wastes in garbage or take it with them.

I always prefer to walk near by the waterfront because of the weather the place, it is veay refresing. Moreover, people love to watch sunsite from this place, it is so amazing. Another reason is that, i can see ocea and mountains both from one place.

it is very disappointed that people are careless about this beatiful place. they did not follow the rule that do not throw the litter anywhere. Whenevery, i walk there it is so dirty.

To address this issue, I would like to suggest that, please write a artical about the problem in newspaper and you could add that, insalling more rubbish bins along the walkpath. i hope you will consider my suggestion and take appropriate action to keep our city clean and beautiful.

your faithfully,

Devarsh patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points in the task: you explain that you enjoy the waterfront for its weather, sunset views, and scenery, describe litter left by visitors, and suggest newspaper coverage and more rubbish bins. The purpose of writing to the local newspaper is clear, and the tone is generally appropriate. The description of the litter is quite general, however: “they forgot to throw the wastes” does not specify what kinds of rubbish you have seen. The proposed action is relevant, but it would be more persuasive if you explained how bins or a newspaper appeal could change walkers’ behaviour. Developing these details would make the response more complete and convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: it introduces the concern, explains why you value the area, describes the problem, and ends with suggestions. Paragraphing helps the reader follow these stages, and linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “Another reason” show how details relate. The progression is generally logical, but some connections are awkward or repetitive, particularly the shift from enjoying the waterfront to the litter problem. Several sentences are joined with commas where a full stop or clearer linking structure would help, and the final paragraph combines multiple suggestions in a crowded sentence. More controlled sentence boundaries and smoother transitions would strengthen the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “waterfront,” “litter,” “rubbish bins,” and “walkpath,” and phrases such as “keep our city clean and beautiful” communicate your concern. However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors make parts less clear or natural, including “banch,” “wastes,” “sunsite,” and “artical.” Some combinations are also awkward, such as “because of the weather the place” and “throw the litter anywhere.” Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. More precise terms for the rubbish you observe and for the area where people walk would make the letter clearer and more effective.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more developed sentences, for example, “Another reason is that, i can see ocea and mountains both from one place.” The main message is usually understandable, but errors in sentence structure and basic grammar are noticeable. Examples include “I am local resident,” “people who walking,” and “people are sitting on banch and they forgot,” where articles, verb forms, or tense consistency need attention. Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, especially at the beginnings of sentences and in the long final paragraph. Practise forming accurate clauses with a subject and correctly conjugated verb, and separate complete ideas with full stops. This will make your varied sentence attempts easier to follow.

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

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