Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The system used for rubbish/garbage collection in your local area is not working properly. This is causing problems for you and your neighbours. Write a letter to the local council. In your letter

• describe how the rubbish collection system is not working properly
• explain how this is affecting you and your neighbours
• suggest what should 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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to formally complain about the ineffecient watse collecting system in my neighbourhood, as this system cause many issues to me and my neighbours.

Firstly, the collecting trash van come so early every three days. they come around four in the morning, because of this very early time many people do not take out the trash in a suitable time and the garbage accumulated in their houses. Moreover, the shortage of the workers leads to neglecting in transfer the rubbish for the pin to the van and many trash drop on the floor.

Due to this behaviour, we are forced to collect the dropped trash from the floor every time the van come, which negatively affect the elderly people. Nonetheless, if some one miss to take out his trash before the van time he has to keep the trash in his house for three more days which would be dangerous in the family health.

I would like to suggest to increase the number of workers to decline shift hours so workers would be able to care about the process more; Moreover, change the schedule to be every two days instead of every three days.

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely

Diana

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three required points and maintains a clear, appropriately formal complaint. You explain that the truck arrives at around four in the morning every three days and that rubbish is sometimes left on the ground; you then describe the burden on residents and the health concern of storing waste indoors. Your proposed remedies—more workers and a more frequent collection schedule—are relevant and clear. These details make the response purposeful and sufficiently supported. To strengthen it further, explain more precisely how the council should adjust the collection time or staffing, and clarify the phrase about reducing shift hours so the practical proposal is unmistakable. The closing is suitable for a formal letter.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear progression: the opening states the complaint, the next paragraph describes collection failures, the following paragraph explains their effects, and the final paragraph offers solutions. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these functions, while connectors such as “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “Due to this behaviour” make relationships between ideas clear. The sequence is logical and easy to follow. At times, however, linking is somewhat formulaic, and the semicolon followed by “Moreover” does not connect the suggestions smoothly. Use transitions more selectively and make the relationship between each problem and its proposed remedy explicit. A more conventional sign-off layout would also make the letter feel more polished.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “garbage accumulated,” “shortage of the workers,” and “negatively affect the elderly people,” so the main concerns are understandable. However, noticeable spelling, word-form, and collocation problems limit precision: “ineffecient watse,” “collecting trash van,” “neglecting in transfer,” and “trash drop on the floor” are not natural or accurate expressions. Some wording is also vague, such as “this behaviour,” which could refer to several problems. These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the complaint, but they make the letter less fluent and controlled. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for waste collection, missed pickups, and litter left behind.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional construction in “if some one miss to take out his trash…” and a result clause explaining the effect of the early collection time. However, errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries are frequent enough to reduce accuracy. For example, “the collecting trash van come” needs a singular verb, and “many people do not take out the trash … and the garbage accumulated” shifts incorrectly between present and past forms. The long sentence beginning “Firstly” also needs clearer punctuation and capitalization. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and keeping tense consistent, then divide long sentences where needed. This will make your meaning easier to process.

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

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