Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-22

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 6.5)

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am writting this letter with a broken heart after discovering that there is a lot of dirty around Kaguvi outback area. I always take a walk everyday after work to refresh my mind. I love watching nature around that area for instance, the birds flying around and singing. The area also reminds me when I was a child, we used to go and ride our bicycles there.

Lately, I have been seeing lots of papers and cans left by others. Some people even leave dog mess. If one is not checking where he or she is walking, you might end up stepping on it. Leaving garbage around the area might harm wildlife or cause soil pollution.

I suggest , there is need for putting posters to educate people the effects of not disposing litter well around the area. If funds permits, the best idea would be inserting cameras around the area so that legal action will be taken to offenders.

I hope you will be able to assist this matter.

Kind regards,

Ruth

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three points and maintains a clear, appropriate purpose: you explain that walking after work refreshes your mind, describe the birds and childhood memories associated with the area, identify papers, cans and dog mess, and propose education posters and cameras with legal consequences. These details make the complaint relevant and give the reader a clear picture of your concern. To strengthen the response further, develop the proposed actions a little more—for example, explain who could install or maintain the posters and cameras, or suggest bins and regular clean-ups. The consequences of littering are mentioned, but could be linked more directly to the specific wildlife and pollution risks in this location. Overall, the task is fully addressed, though some ideas could be extended beyond their initial statement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter is organised in a clear sequence: it introduces your connection to the area, describes the litter problem, offers solutions, and closes politely. Paragraphing supports this progression, and linking expressions such as “Lately,” “for instance,” and “If funds permits” help signal examples and suggestions. The reader can follow the main points without difficulty. To make the flow more polished, connect some related ideas more smoothly: the childhood memory could be tied explicitly to why preserving the area matters to you, and the two proposed solutions could be introduced as a coordinated plan. The conditional sentence about stepping on dog mess also shifts from “one” to “you,” which slightly weakens the clarity of reference. Overall, organisation is logical, with some room for more flexible and precise linking.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the topic, including relevant terms such as “wildlife,” “soil pollution,” “educate,” and “legal action.” The descriptions of “papers and cans” and “dog mess” are clear, and the tone is suitable for a newspaper letter. However, several word choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, including “a lot of dirty,” “writting,” “inserting cameras,” and “legal action will be taken to offenders.” These errors make the vocabulary less precise and occasionally distract from the message, although the intended meaning remains understandable. Aim to learn common collocations for litter and enforcement, and check spelling and word forms when editing. A broader set of precise terms would help you describe both the rubbish and practical responses more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, such as “If one is not checking where he or she is walking, you might end up stepping on it” and the sentence explaining how litter may harm wildlife or cause pollution. Most ideas remain understandable, and the paragraphs are formed into complete sentences. Some grammatical errors persist, however. In “I suggest, there is need for putting posters,” the clause structure and punctuation are faulty; “If funds permits” has subject–verb disagreement; and “legal action will be taken to offenders” uses an incorrect grammatical pattern. The shift from “one” to “you” in the conditional also affects consistency. Review clause construction, agreement, and punctuation around introductory phrases, then proofread for these patterns. Greater accuracy across the complex sentences would make the letter more controlled.

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

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