Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-04

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/madam,

I am writing this letter about the system used for garbage collection in our local area is not working properly. This is causing problems for me and my neighbours. As your a the local council, I would like to discuss this with you.

Firstly, the rubbish collection system is not properly collecting the garbage across the area and it leaves some garbage behind which make a lot of mess up on the road. The garbage collector does not pay attention to it. Even, when we talk about it they did not listen to us.

Secondly, this issue is causing problems for us as trash on the road effects the beauty of our area and leaves a smell which can further cause respiratory diseases.

Finally, it is suggested that if you can train new workers properly and let them know about the situation. It would be great if you can look into this matter and resolve the issue promptly.

Regards,

Harry Sidhu.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You described the failure of the collection system, explained the negative impact on the neighborhood, and provided a suggestion for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the suggestion to 'train new workers' is a bit brief. To reach a higher band, you could expand on how this training might be implemented or suggest a specific alternative, such as increasing the frequency of collections or providing larger bins. Overall, the task is fulfilled, but the ideas could be more thoroughly elaborated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure with clear paragraphing, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Finally' to signal the progression of your points. While this is effective, the transitions are somewhat mechanical. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly. Additionally, ensure that your referencing is precise; for instance, in the second paragraph, 'this issue' clearly refers back to the previous point, which is good, but some sentences could be better integrated to improve the flow between ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message, such as 'respiratory diseases' and 'promptly'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, you wrote 'make a lot of mess up on the road' instead of 'create a mess on the road' or 'litter the streets'. You also used 'effects' (a noun) where you meant 'affects' (a verb). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage. Expanding your range of topic-specific collocations related to waste management would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

Your writing shows a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, 'As your a the local council' contains a redundant article and incorrect pronoun usage. You also have subject-verb agreement issues, such as 'trash on the road effects' (should be 'affects') and 'it leaves some garbage behind which make' (should be 'makes'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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