Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-27

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 or Madam,

I am writing this letter to highlight the issue regarding the litter left in the vicinity of my area.

Just after 5 minutes of walk from my home the road leads to countryside area of Caledon. I enjoy this walk because of the large farmlands from where I can easily see the sunset and sunrise.

While using the pedestrian path, I have noticed trash such as fruit peels, cans, and glass bottles which can harm passerby during the walk. Since last week, the litter is smelling so bad and even there are alot of fruitflies in the area.

A small initiative taken by the government could help us alot. I would suggest to install the garbage bins with scheduled pickups by the city.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain that you enjoy seeing the sunrise and sunset over farmland, identify litter such as fruit peels, cans and glass bottles, and recommend bins with scheduled collection. These details keep the letter relevant and give the reader a clear sense of the problem. However, the points are not developed equally: the reason for enjoying the walk is brief, and the proposed solution would be stronger if you explained where bins should be placed or how walkers could be encouraged to use them. The response is also 23 words below the required minimum, so there is limited space to develop these ideas and make the appeal to the newspaper more persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter has a clear overall progression: it introduces the concern, describes the countryside walk, gives examples of litter and its effects, and ends with a proposed solution. Paragraphing helps separate these stages, and phrases such as “While using the pedestrian path” signal a shift to the problem. The sequence is easy to follow, although the short paragraphs make the letter feel somewhat abrupt, particularly at the end. You could improve the flow by adding a brief concluding request to the newspaper, such as asking it to raise awareness, and by linking the litter’s effects more explicitly to the need for regular collection. The organisation is clear, but fuller development would make the progression feel more complete.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “farmlands,” “pedestrian path,” “scheduled pickups” and specific examples of rubbish. These choices make the situation understandable and show some attempt to use precise, topic-related language. Some expressions are less natural or accurate, however: “the issue regarding the litter” is wordy, “fruitflies” is not the usual form, and “the litter is smelling so bad” is an awkward collocation. There are also spelling or form issues in “alot.” Choose more idiomatic phrases and check compound words and spelling. For example, “litter problem,” “has a strong unpleasant smell” and “fruit flies” would communicate the same ideas more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple sentences and more developed structures, including the relative clause “from where I can easily see the sunset and sunrise” and the clause beginning “which can harm passerby.” Meaning remains clear throughout, and the letter’s basic sentence patterns are generally understandable. Some grammatical errors remain: “Just after 5 minutes of walk” needs a more accurate construction, “countryside area” needs an article, and “passerby” should be plural in this context. The sentence about the litter smelling also uses an awkward tense construction. Review articles, plural forms and natural time expressions, then proofread each sentence. More accurate control of these patterns would make the message smoother without requiring more complicated sentences.

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

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