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,

I am writing to express my concern regarding litter on the walkway which is left more and more by walkers.

I am living near the river and government has just developed a nice and clean riverfront for walking and cycling; moreover this place has a very dynamic look of water and sunset every evening. My wife and I go for a walk to relax our mood and reduce stress. However we see lots of litter beside the walkway. People are throwing garbage after having thair snakstheir snacks.

I think news papper can aware individuals to be responsible for keeping the city clean. My suggestion is if you can print and advertisement in tommorows news for awarness about cleanliness it would be great.

I amsure you will look forward to take one step being a good citizen.

Your faithfully,

xyz

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the main purpose and include all three requested points: you explain that you walk by the river with your wife to relax, mention litter beside the walkway, and propose a newspaper advertisement. However, the details are limited: the litter is described only as “garbage,” and the proposed action is not developed beyond one advertisement. The opening also says “Dear Sir,” rather than using the requested “Dear Sir or Madam,” and the closing is not expressed in a suitable standard form. The response is 141 words, below the 150-word minimum, so the task is not fully completed. Add specific examples of rubbish and practical measures, such as bins or signs, and explain how these could help.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with separate paragraphs for the reason for writing, your walking experience and the proposed response. The ideas generally follow a sensible order, and linking expressions such as “moreover” and “However” help show relationships between points. This meets the lower-band expectation of an overall coherent arrangement and shows some of the flexibility associated with stronger cohesion. However, the final paragraph is abrupt, and the closing sentence does not clearly connect to the request for action. The sentence about people throwing rubbish is also awkwardly joined to the preceding description. Use clearer paragraph transitions and end with a direct, polite request to the newspaper to publish an appeal.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “litter,” “walkway,” “riverfront,” “relax” and “reduce stress.” These choices make the general meaning understandable. However, the range is limited, and several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors may distract the reader: “news papper,” “tommorows,” “awarness,” and “thair snakstheir snacks.” Some phrases are also unnatural, such as “aware individuals” and “relax our mood.” To improve, use more precise terms for the rubbish you see and choose natural collocations, for example, “raise public awareness” and “unwind.” Proofread carefully for spelling and avoid repeating broad words such as “clean” and “garbage.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a sentence linked with “moreover” and one beginning “However.” The main message is usually recoverable, but grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make the reader pause. For example, “I am living near the river” uses an unsuitable continuous form for a general situation, while “government has just developed” is missing an article. In “if you can print an advertisement,” the conditional structure is not well controlled, and “I amsure you will look forward to take one step” contains errors in spacing and verb pattern. The closing also needs a grammatically correct form. Practise accurate sentence patterns and check articles, verb forms, and punctuation before submitting.

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