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 to complain regarding the increase throwing out the garbage and leftovers on the side walkways. Every morning I go for a morning walk and come accross the polluted streets.

At quater to 6, I always follow my routine on going for jogging at Joggers Park near my house and enjoy experiencing a fresh start of the day with clear air quality, hearing chirping of birds which makes the atmosphere more refreshing. But, while walking and upon seeing the litters left on the ground, this is becoming a huge issue in terms of pollution. Although, our government has provided all the parks and streets with dustbins, people still do not follow the rules to change our nation to green city.

In addition, it also generates a bad order in environment due to which it is harmful for everyone's health. Considering this daily issue, I request to the government to take some strict action for instance, implement a charge or to provide with an informative bill boards accross the areas of the city which states the importance of cleanliness.

Thank you

Yesha Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three main points: you explain that you walk at Joggers Park and value the fresh air and birdsong, describe litter on the walkways, and propose charges or information boards. The purpose of writing to the newspaper is clear. However, some parts are only partly developed: the litter is described generally as “garbage and leftovers,” without examples of what you have actually seen, and the proposed actions are not explained in detail. The reference to government action also makes the request less directly focused on what the newspaper or local community could do. Add specific examples of rubbish and clarify who should take each suggested action to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening explaining the concern, a paragraph about your walks and the problem, and a final paragraph proposing action. This gives the reader an overall sense of progression. Some links between ideas are less clear or feel mechanical, however. For example, “But, while walking and upon seeing the litters left on the ground, this is becoming a huge issue” combines several ideas awkwardly, and “In addition, it also generates” has an unclear reference. Paragraphing could also separate your enjoyment of walking from the description of litter more clearly. Use simpler transitions and make the subject of each sentence explicit to improve the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “polluted,” “dustbins,” “cleanliness,” and “chirping of birds,” and the reader can understand your main concern. There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “clear air quality,” though this is not a natural collocation. Several word-choice and spelling errors reduce precision, including “bad order” for an unpleasant smell, “litters” for litter, “accross,” and “quater.” “Side walkways” is also an awkward description of the location. Aim for accurate, natural combinations and check spelling; this will make your message clearer and more convincing without requiring more complicated vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a sentence beginning “Although” and one using “which,” and most of the message remains understandable. However, some sentence structures are faulty or incomplete. “I am writing to complain regarding the increase throwing out the garbage” lacks a clear grammatical construction after “increase,” while “Although, our government has provided…” is punctuated and connected incorrectly. The sentence beginning “At quater to 6” also shifts awkwardly from your routine to what you enjoy. Practise building complete clauses and checking how subordinate clauses connect to the main sentence. More consistent control of these structures would make the letter easier to read.

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

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