Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-05

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 this email to you to get attention to my residing area where no dustbins are present to through the garbage. Thereforew, litter is going biggestr iussue in my town.

From all ages group are enjoying the walk includes me as there is countryside area where I went for walk, as I noticed there is so many plastic bottles, papers, wrapeers and so on the walking patrhy which can leads it fall for elders and children. Not only this, but also it will promotes harmful disease.

I hope you will publish this to your newspaper, that leader of our community can take some steps to reduce this littre, such as; hire a cleaner to take care of that area, new dustbins and installing camera if someone littering so they can fine them.

Thank you,

simarjeet kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the three requested points: you explain that you enjoy walking in the countryside, identify litter such as bottles, paper and wrappers, and suggest bins, cleaning and fines. However, the reasons for enjoying the walks are barely explained, and the description of the litter’s effects is unclear. The proposed actions are relevant but need more detail—for example, who should install bins or enforce fines. The letter also falls short of the stated 150-word minimum, so the response is underdeveloped overall. The opening and closing are appropriate, although “email” is less suited to a letter to a newspaper. Add specific details and develop each point to make the purpose and suggestions clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable overall order: it introduces the problem, describes the walks and litter, then makes suggestions. Paragraphing helps separate these stages, and links such as “Therefore” and “Not only this” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, some connections are awkward or unclear, particularly the shift from people of all ages enjoying walks to the hazards caused by litter. The final sentence also combines several suggestions without clearly distinguishing them. Use shorter, more focused sentences and make the relationship between each idea explicit. This would improve progression while preserving the generally coherent arrangement already present.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “plastic bottles,” “harmful disease,” “dustbins,” and “fine them,” so the reader can identify the main concern and proposed solutions. However, the range is limited, and noticeable spelling and word-choice errors sometimes make the message difficult to follow: “through the garbage,” “biggestr iussue,” “wrapeers,” and “walking patrhy.” Some expressions are also unnatural, such as “get attention to my residing area.” Choose more precise collocations and check spelling carefully; for instance, describe the issue as “a growing problem” and refer to “the footpath.” A broader set of accurate terms for litter and prevention would make the letter clearer and more persuasive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including “I am writing…” and the sentence beginning “From all ages group…,” but the complex attempts are often faulty and can obscure meaning. For example, “From all ages group are enjoying the walk includes me” lacks a clear grammatical structure, while “there is so many plastic bottles” has an agreement error. The clause “which can leads it fall” also has problems with verb form and sentence construction. There are further issues with articles, plurals and punctuation. Practise building accurate sentences with a clear subject and verb, then connect them with clauses such as “which can cause people to trip.” This will make your ideas easier to understand.

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

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