Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-29

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 this letter to address you about the litter I have seen in the countryside near my home at caledon road.

Actually, I daily go for a walk around 6 am in the morning at Caledon road past Brook's lane. It has been two weeks I am seeing the litter everywhere on pedestrian walkway. Additionally, I have not witnessed anyone causing it but it is there every single day.

Generally, food wrappers, papers and some dog shit is present. I guess people are just eating while walk and throw their leftovers on the walkways.

It would be great if you can publish this arrising issue in newspaper so people get aware and stop it to spread more in future. Although, the possible soultions can be posted along with it for city employees like to install different garbage bins(paper, recycle, plastic bin) at a distance of 4 km so that people throw their litter accordingly. Further, it would be great if city can install poles that have garbage bags on it.This way walkers can collect their dog poop in bags and throw it later on in bins.

Thank you for reading and I hope you consider my solution.

Yours truly,

Manpreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address all three points: you explain that you walk near Caledon Road and Brook’s Lane, describe wrappers, paper and dog waste, and suggest newspaper coverage, bins and bags for dog owners. The practical suggestions make the letter relevant, but some ideas are not fully developed. For example, “at a distance of 4 km” is a specific proposal without explaining why that spacing would work, and the request to publish the issue could be clearer about what readers should do. The reason you enjoy walking is also only implied by your routine; explain what you value about the countryside, such as its quiet or scenery. Overall, the task is covered, but several points need clearer explanation and support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: it introduces the concern, describes what you have observed, then offers solutions and closes politely. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and connectors such as “Additionally,” “Further,” and “This way” guide the reader through your points. However, some links feel mechanical or do not express the relationship precisely. “Although” introduces the solutions as if they contrast with the request to publish the issue, when you mean to add to it. The shift from describing litter to guessing why people leave it could also be made more smoothly. Use fewer formulaic transitions and make the connection between each observation and recommendation explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the topic, including “pedestrian walkway,” “food wrappers,” “garbage bins,” and “recycle.” There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “leftovers” and “install,” though some choices are inaccurate or too informal for a letter to a newspaper. “Dog shit” is blunt; “dog waste” is more appropriate. “Address you about” is an unnatural phrase, while “raise the issue of” would be clearer. Spelling errors such as “arrising” and “soultions,” along with “get aware,” reduce accuracy and polish. Build a more reliable range of collocations and check spelling, while keeping the tone suitably formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, for example, “Although, the possible soultions can be posted…” and “This way walkers can collect their dog poop in bags and throw it later on in bins.” The main message remains understandable, but errors in verb forms, articles and sentence construction occur in several places. “I daily go for a walk” would be more natural as “I go for a walk daily,” and “It has been two weeks I am seeing” needs a clearer tense structure, such as “I have been seeing this litter for two weeks.” The long sentence beginning “Although” also needs restructuring and punctuation. Practise accurate present-perfect forms and build longer sentences around one clear main clause.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.