Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-17

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,

The reason why I am writing this letter is to inform you regarding garbage issue at the walkway near my home located nearby countyside.

I like walking in our beautiful town specially after busy workday. It helps me to focus and give me some time to enjoy nature.

Lastnight, I was walking nearby my house walkway and I have observed that someone has thrown a full bag of garbage. This will not only affect our envionmrnt but also, creates unpleasant experience to people who use this walkway.

I would like to give you some suggestion to put into your article. Firstly, the fine warning sign-board is missing. Secondly, Litter can was full of waste and nobody has collected from last week. And finally I would says people are less aware about cleanliness in our beautiful neighborhood.

I hope you post this in your newspaper so more people be aware of this issue any take necessary steps.

Kind regards,

Jenish

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three requested points and maintains a suitable purpose: you explain that walking helps you enjoy nature, describe a bag of rubbish and an overflowing bin, and offer suggestions for raising awareness. The description of the litter is relevant, but it is brief, and the proposed solutions are not fully clear. For example, “the fine warning sign-board is missing” seems to suggest adding a sign about fines, while the reference to the bin being uncollected describes the problem rather than explaining how it should be addressed. Develop these ideas by specifying practical actions, such as installing clear signs, arranging more frequent collections, or encouraging walkers to take rubbish home.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information is arranged in a generally coherent order: you introduce the reason for writing, explain your enjoyment of walking, describe what you saw, and then make suggestions. Paragraphing helps the reader follow these stages, and “Firstly,” “Secondly,” and “finally” signal the list of points. However, the sequence of suggestions feels somewhat mechanical, and the connection between the overflowing bin and the action you want the newspaper or local authorities to take is not always clear. The final sentence also combines the request to publish the issue with the hoped-for public response. Use clearer links between each problem and its proposed solution, and make the closing request more direct.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main message, including “garbage,” “litter,” “fine,” “warning sign-board,” and “cleanliness.” However, several word choices and spelling errors make the letter less natural and occasionally unclear. “Garbage issue” and “Litter can” are not the most idiomatic expressions in this context, while “countyside” and “envionmrnt” are misspelled. Some phrases, such as “beautiful town” and “beautiful neighborhood,” are repeated without adding much detail. Aim for more precise, natural wording and check spelling carefully; for example, describe the specific rubbish you saw and refer consistently to a litter bin or waste bin.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple sentences and attempts at more complex forms, such as “It helps me to focus and give me some time to enjoy nature” and “This will not only affect … but also …”. The meaning is generally understandable, but some errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction remain. For instance, “It helps me to focus and give me” needs parallel verb agreement, and “I would says” should use the base form after “would.” In “someone has thrown …” followed by “I have observed,” the tense choices are awkward for describing a completed walk. Practise accurate parallel structures and modal verb patterns, and proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

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