Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to inform you about the litter left by the walkers in the countryside close to Oakville.

My name is Pranusha and I stay in Oakville. Whenever I get free time I prefer to go for a walk to countryside which is 20 kms away to my home. I feel so calm and relaxed spending time in countryside. Staying away from busy life, taking fresh air which will help me to stay healthy. However, in recent times I noticed litter on the pedestrian walks and it may effect on the environment and make the countryside look dirty.

I really appreciate it if you could write an article in the newspaper, bringing awareness among the people saying it's the responsibility of every person to keep the place neat and clean to stay healthy. In addition to that, mentioning that's a precious gift which we can give to the next generation.

Appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Your's faithfully,

Pranusha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify the purpose of the letter and explain that you enjoy the countryside for its calm atmosphere, fresh air and health benefits. You also mention litter on the walking paths and ask the newspaper to raise public awareness. However, the task is only minimally addressed: the litter is not described in any detail, and the proposed response is limited to publishing an awareness article. The location is also unclear, since you say the countryside is “20 kms away to my home” without naming a specific walking area. Develop each point more fully—for example, describe the rubbish you have seen and suggest practical measures such as bins, signs or organised clean-ups. This would make the letter more complete and purposeful.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening purpose, a paragraph about your walks and the litter, a request to the newspaper, and a closing. The ideas are generally easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “However” and “In addition to that” help connect points. Some connections are less smooth, though. The sentence beginning “Staying away from busy life” is a fragment, and the final paragraph combines the request with several ideas without clearly separating them. The reference to “the place” is also vague. Use complete sentences and organise the letter into clearer paragraphs for the three task points; make links between ideas more precise rather than relying on a small set of transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main message, including “calm and relaxed,” “fresh air,” “environment,” and “next generation.” These choices suit the topic, and the reader can understand your concern. However, some wording is imprecise or unnatural, which limits the range and control shown. For example, “pedestrian walks” is not the usual phrase for countryside paths, and “bringing awareness among the people” is awkward. “Stay in Oakville” may also be unclear when you mean that you live there. Aim for more natural collocations and specific vocabulary for the rubbish itself, such as naming the items you have seen. Check word forms and spelling as well: “effect” is used where “affect” is needed, and “Your’s” should be “Yours.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, and most of the message remains understandable. There are some grammatical errors, particularly in sentence construction and prepositions. “I prefer to go for a walk to countryside” needs an article and a more suitable preposition, while “20 kms away to my home” has an incorrect prepositional pattern. “Staying away from busy life, taking fresh air which will help me to stay healthy” is not a complete sentence; connect these ideas to a main clause. In “it may effect on the environment,” the verb pattern is also incorrect. Practise building complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and review articles, prepositions and verb patterns. More accurate control of these forms would make your ideas smoother.

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

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