Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-16

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 4.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to complain about litter thrown by people on countryside. I have been walking there since five years and I really enjoy after my work because the atmosphare makes me relax and comfortable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You establish the purpose of the letter by saying you are writing to complain about litter, and you give a relevant reason for enjoying countryside walks: the atmosphere helps you relax after work. However, the response is far too brief to address the task adequately and is 105 words below the required minimum. It does not identify where you walk in any detail, describe the litter you have seen, or suggest any action the newspaper or community could take. As a result, most of the required content is missing and the ideas provided are only minimally developed. To improve, cover each bullet point explicitly, adding concrete examples and practical suggestions such as more bins, signs, or organised clean-ups.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The letter has a recognisable opening and a clear basic purpose: “I am writing to complain about litter.” The reason for enjoying walks follows this point, so the two ideas are understandable in sequence. However, the response ends before it develops into a complete letter, with no paragraphs or progression through the three requested points, and it lacks a closing. The linking of ideas is also very limited; “because” is the only clear connector. For a stronger response, organise the letter into short paragraphs—your enjoyment and location, examples of litter, and proposed solutions—and use simple links such as “Recently,” “For example,” and “To address this.”

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use a small set of relevant words, including “walking,” “countryside,” “litter,” and “complain,” which makes the general topic clear. However, the vocabulary range is limited, and some choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural: “litter thrown by people on countryside” and “the atmosphare makes me relax and comfortable.” The spelling error in “atmosphare” also reduces accuracy. Because the response is so short, there is little evidence of flexibility or precise vocabulary for describing the rubbish or possible solutions. Build a more specific range, for example “plastic bottles,” “food wrappers,” “discarded packaging,” and “litter bins,” and check spelling and natural word combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response communicates its basic meaning through simple sentences, and the sentence beginning “I am writing to complain” is a suitable, clear structure for a formal letter. There is also an attempt to give a reason using “because.” However, the range is narrow, and errors in grammatical patterns affect accuracy: “I have been walking there since five years” should use “for five years,” while “I really enjoy after my work” is missing an object or activity, such as “I really enjoy walking there after work.” The phrase “makes me relax and comfortable” also needs parallel structure, for example “helps me feel relaxed and comfortable.” Use a wider mix of accurate sentence forms and check prepositions and verb patterns.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.