Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-08

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 5.0)

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am writing to bring in to your notice that the west street local area's rubbish/garbage collection system works poorly and is not done properly. By this it causes problems to locals including myself and neighbourhood area.

I would like to brief about how this is affecting us, firstly, they are not doing it regularly. Secondly, the way they clear garbage from our frontside is very messy, always leaves behind things even if they are sorted and kept. The smell around neighboorhood is getting bad day by day, also insects started to form because of waste particles on streets.

In regards to this we would like to know what we all have concluded after a meeting is that we will try to be asking for reasons to them for such a poor way of handling garbage. But it didn't work.

I hope you understand how important this issue, look forward for a prompt response from your side.

Yours faithfully,

Name

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main problem—irregular collections and rubbish left behind—and explain relevant effects, including a bad smell and insects. However, the task is only partly addressed because the proposed action is unclear and does not give the council a practical request. The sentence about asking the collectors for reasons, followed by “But it didn't work,” describes an unsuccessful attempt rather than what the council should do next. Your opening also says the system works poorly without specifying how often collections are missed or giving a concrete example. State clearly what you want the council to arrange, such as a reliable collection schedule and a clean-up of the affected streets, and develop the impact on residents more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening complaint, a paragraph describing the problems and their effects, and a closing request for a response. Sequencing words such as “firstly” and “Secondly” help organise the details. However, progression becomes unclear in the paragraph beginning “In regards to this”: the shift from the effects to a residents’ meeting and an unsuccessful approach is difficult to follow, and the council is not given a clear next step. Some linking is mechanical, and “also” joins ideas that would be clearer as separate sentences. Use one paragraph for the collection failures and their consequences, then a focused paragraph stating the action requested from the council.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the general issue, including “rubbish/garbage collection,” “sorted,” “smell,” and “insects.” However, the range is limited and several choices or combinations sound unnatural, which makes parts of the complaint less clear. For example, “bring in to your notice” and “frontside” are not natural expressions in this context, while “insects started to form” does not accurately describe what happens. There are also spelling errors in “neighboorhood.” Choose precise, conventional wording for a formal complaint, such as describing collections as “irregular,” rubbish as “left behind,” and insects as “attracted to the waste.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt some longer sentence forms, for example, “The smell around neighboorhood is getting bad day by day, also insects started to form because of waste particles on streets.” However, sentence control is inconsistent, and frequent errors sometimes make the relationships between ideas difficult to understand. In “By this it causes problems,” the subject and construction are faulty; “I hope you understand how important this issue” is missing a necessary verb or complement; and “what we all have concluded after a meeting is that we will try to be asking” is an awkward, poorly controlled clause. There are also article and punctuation problems. Build clearer sentences with accurate subjects and verbs, and check each sentence for complete clauses and appropriate punctuation.

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