Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-30

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 5.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to logde a formal complaints about the littering of waste disposal in the countryside near my home while I was walking around the surroundings.

I am fold of walking around the rural areas because of the beautifical surroundings it has, I enjoy viewing the natural trees ,the weather condition ,also the wonderful rivers at the extremes of the lands.

I was strolling there yesterday when I saw some rubbishs dumped at the corner,large in size with bad odour, they were all brown and looked exactly like an expired ingredients for food and toiletries scattered around.

I would be grateful if you could contact some group of people from the sanitation departments TO TIDYyou for your time and consideration,Ilook forward to hearing from you.

Yours Faithfully,

Bekes Jennifer

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You address the letter’s general purpose and include the countryside setting, examples of litter, and a request for action. The description of “rubbishs” with a “bad odour” gives the reader some detail. However, the response only partially fulfils the task: the reason for enjoying walks is briefly stated, and the proposed solution is unclear because the final sentence is incomplete and difficult to interpret. The letter also contains only 134 words, below the required 150, so the ideas are not developed enough. Add a clear, specific suggestion—such as more bins, signs, or regular clean-ups—and explain how the newspaper could help publicise it.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly sensible order: it introduces the complaint, explains why you enjoy the area, describes what you saw, and attempts to request action. The greeting and sign-off also suit a formal letter. However, the progression is weakened by the very long final sentence, where the request runs into “TO TIDYyou for your time and consideration,” making the intended meaning hard to follow. The body is presented as one continuous block, and links between details are limited. Use separate paragraphs for the reason for writing, the litter and its effects, and your proposed action. Clear sentence boundaries and simple transitions would make the message easier to read.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt some descriptive vocabulary, including “rural areas,” “natural trees,” “rivers,” and “bad odour,” which helps convey the setting and the problem. However, the range is limited and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, sometimes making the meaning difficult to understand. For example, “littering of waste disposal” does not clearly describe the issue, while “expired ingredients for food and toiletries” is an awkward way to identify discarded items. There are also spelling and form errors such as “logde,” “beautifical,” and “rubbishs.” Choose precise, familiar expressions such as “litter,” “food packaging,” and “discarded toiletries,” and check spelling and plural forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences, and the reader can generally identify the main points. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make parts of the letter difficult to follow. For example, “I am fold of walking” has an incorrect verb form, and “I enjoy viewing … the weather condition” does not form a clear grammatical list. The sentence beginning “I was strolling there yesterday” joins several ideas with commas and lacks clear sentence boundaries. The final request is also incomplete, with the closing phrase attached to it. Use shorter, complete sentences, check subject–verb and article use, and punctuate lists and requests carefully.

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

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