Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-02

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/madam,

I am writing a letter regarding the problem that I addressed yesterday.

I like to walk and exercise in the early morning. I prefer to go outside instead of being at home. I walk near the countryside area as I feel relaxed in the fresh air

and a beautiful environment.

I am facing a little problem while walking, as there are a lot of piles of garbage. People throw litter on the road.

I would suggest putting garbage bins everywhere along the roadside. Strict action should be taken against people who throw garbage.

yours faithfullly

komal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address all three bullet points: you explain that you enjoy early-morning exercise in the countryside, mention piles of garbage on the road, and propose bins and action against people who litter. However, the ideas are very brief and under-developed, so the reader gets little detail about the places you walk or the specific rubbish you have seen. The opening, “the problem that I addressed yesterday,” is unclear and does not establish the issue accurately. The letter is also substantially below the required 150 words, which limits how fully you can explain your experience and suggestions. Develop each point with concrete examples, such as naming a local path and describing bottles, wrappers, or other waste, and explain how your proposed measures could help.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The information follows a generally sensible order: you introduce your reason for writing, describe your walking routine, identify the litter, and offer solutions. Separate paragraphs help distinguish these points, and the message is easy to follow overall. However, the letter is very short, so the progression between ideas is basic rather than fully developed. The opening sentence does not connect clearly to the problem described later, and the transition into “I am facing a little problem” feels abrupt. Add a clearer opening that names the litter issue, then use linking phrases to show how the problem affects your walks and why your suggestions would address it. A fuller closing paragraph would also make the letter feel more complete.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the main message, including “countryside,” “fresh air,” “piles of garbage,” and “garbage bins.” The meaning is generally understandable, but the range is limited and some expressions are imprecise or unnatural. For example, “the problem that I addressed yesterday” does not clearly convey that you are writing about an ongoing concern, while “countryside area” is repetitive. “Throw litter on the road” communicates the idea, but more precise wording could describe the types of rubbish and where it is left. The sign-off spelling “faithfullly” is also inaccurate. Build a wider set of topic-specific terms and check spelling and collocations so your descriptions sound more natural and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

Most of your sentences are simple and communicate their meaning, and you also attempt a longer structure in “I walk near the countryside area as I feel relaxed in the fresh air and a beautiful environment.” This shows some ability to connect ideas, but the range of sentence forms remains limited. In that sentence, the relationship between “fresh air” and “a beautiful environment” is not expressed smoothly, and the line break interrupts the sentence. The opening phrase “I am writing a letter regarding…” is grammatically possible, but the following clause is unclear. Use a wider mix of accurate complex sentences to explain causes and effects, and review sentence boundaries and punctuation. The closing also needs conventional capitalization and punctuation.

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.