Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-20

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my concern regarding the increase in litter being left by walkers in the countryside near my home.

I regularly walk along the riverside and then through the woodland. I enjoy these walks because they relax me after a busy day, improves my fitness and help me appreciate the natural beauty of the area. The flowers and air breeze add to the beauty of the surroundings.

For the last 2 weeks, I have noticed that there is an increasing amount of litter being left along the trails, including cans and wrappers. On certain occasions I have also noticed plastic bags hanging from the tree branches and waste dumped beside the river. This is not only spoiling the surroundings but also posing a threat to wildlife.

I believe that the local council should install more bins along the path and also arrange regular cleaning activities. The local newspaper could also raise awareness by publishing articles about the harmful effects of littering.

I hope that you will consider highlighting this issue so that we can keep our countryside clean and enjoyable for everyone.

Yours faithfully,

Hooria Zahid

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter addresses all three points clearly: you explain that you walk by the riverside and through woodland, describe cans, wrappers, bags in trees and waste beside the river, and propose bins, regular clean-ups and newspaper coverage. The opening establishes the purpose, while the closing makes a clear request for the newspaper to highlight the issue. Your explanation of why you enjoy walking is relevant and supported by relaxation, fitness and appreciation of nature. The wildlife threat also shows why the litter matters. To make the response even more fully developed, you could explain how one or two proposed actions would work—for example, where bins should be placed or how awareness articles might change walkers’ behaviour. Overall, the task is covered well, with only minor scope to extend the suggestions.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The information is arranged in a clear, effective sequence: purpose, enjoyment of the walks, the litter problem, proposed solutions and a final appeal. Paragraphing separates these stages appropriately, and linking expressions such as “because,” “For the last 2 weeks,” “not only…but also,” and “so that” make the relationships between ideas easy to follow. The letter format is also consistent, with an appropriate salutation and sign-off. Cohesion is generally well managed without disrupting the message. To make the progression still more polished, you could connect the solutions more explicitly to the specific problems—for instance, relate bins to cans and wrappers and clean-ups to waste beside the river. This would add a little more precision to an already logical and well-organised letter.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a suitable range of vocabulary for a formal letter to a newspaper, including “express my concern,” “increasing amount of litter,” “posing a threat to wildlife,” and “raise awareness.” These choices communicate the issue clearly, and terms such as “riverside,” “woodland,” and “surroundings” help establish the setting. There is some variety in how you describe the problem and its effects. A few phrases are less natural or precise, however: “air breeze” is awkward, and “regular cleaning activities” is less idiomatic than a phrase such as “regular clean-up operations.” “The flowers and air breeze add to the beauty” could also be expressed more naturally. Greater control of collocation and more precise environmental vocabulary would strengthen the otherwise effective range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The letter includes a useful mix of simple and more complex structures, such as “I enjoy these walks because…” and “This is not only… but also…”. Most sentences are clear, and the past and present forms generally suit the meaning. A few agreement errors remain in the sentence about the benefits of walking: “they relax me … improves my fitness and help me” should keep the verbs parallel and agree with “these walks” (for example, “they relax me, improve my fitness and help me…”). The phrase “The flowers and air breeze add” also contains a subject–verb agreement problem if “air breeze” is intended as a singular subject alongside “flowers”; the wording should be revised for clarity. These are noticeable but do not prevent understanding. More consistent agreement and parallel structure would improve accuracy.

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.