Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-24

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 6.0)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to bring an issue in your attention I've recently faced. I lives in the Devon town near the countryside. I love walking near the riverside which is just 0.2 miles away from my home. This area is surrounded by different vibrant coloured flowers and the river is mesmerising in itself. I use to walk there to unwind myself and for the peace of mind.

However, since few weeks, I've been noticing dog litter around the area. Although there is an authorised bin on both ends of the road with clear labelling but most of the people prefer not to use it. This makes walking difficult and other people frustrated. Secondly, This is the main cause of pollution in the water and water animals suffers too.

My only request is if you could make people aware about this issue along with special advisory.

It would be appreciated if you could take an appropriate action.

Thank you

sonia

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover all three requested points: you explain that you walk by the riverside near your home to enjoy the flowers and find peace, describe dog waste and its effects, and ask for public awareness and an advisory. These details make the letter relevant and give the reader a clear sense of your concern. However, the proposed action is brief and not very specific, and the description focuses on dog litter rather than giving a fuller picture of the litter problem. The request for the newspaper to take action is also general. To strengthen the response, explain what the newspaper or local authorities could do—for example, publish a notice, add signs, or enforce rules—and develop how the litter affects walkers and the countryside.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: it introduces the issue, gives background about your walks, describes the problem, and ends with a request. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “However” and “Secondly” make the progression easy to follow. This is a coherent structure, though some connections feel mechanical or unclear. For instance, “Secondly” suggests a separate point, but the pollution claim is closely linked to the dog waste just mentioned. The final request also moves quickly from raising awareness to asking for action. Use more precise links between cause and effect, and connect your proposed solution directly to the problem to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “riverside,” “vibrant coloured flowers,” “unwind,” and “pollution.” These choices help convey both the appeal of the walking area and your concern about its condition. There are also attempts at less common or formal expressions, such as “authorised bin” and “appropriate action,” although some phrasing is inaccurate or unnatural. For example, “bring an issue in your attention” and “dog litter” are not the most natural ways to express these ideas; “bring an issue to your attention” and “dog waste” would be clearer. Aim for accurate collocations and a more precise description of the rubbish, while retaining the useful topic vocabulary you already use.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which is just 0.2 miles away from my home” and a contrast introduced by “Although.” The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. Examples include “I lives” instead of “I live,” “I use to walk” instead of “I used to walk,” and “since few weeks” instead of “for the past few weeks.” Agreement is also incorrect in “water animals suffers,” and the sentence beginning “Although there is an authorised bin…” is incomplete because the contrast clause is not properly joined to a main clause. Check verb forms, subject–verb agreement, and clause structure, then proofread punctuation and capitalisation.

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