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 or Madam,

I hope all is well.

My name is Shivam, and I am a local resident of Brampton. The purpose of writing this letter to you is to complain about the garbage collection system which is causing problem to us and our neighborhood.

The problem with garbage collection system is they do not work properly. In addition, they do not come to collect the garbage on the scheduled days. Therefore, bins often get overloaded, and garbage flies all over the place to the neighborhood.

Due to this problem, people around the place often breath nasty smells, and also encountered with many diseases. More often then not, we have less oxygen in the air, and it made us feel like we are living in industrial area.

To improve this scenario, the local authorities should take initiative, and penalize the garbage collection agency if they do not do their work properly. In addition, if needed please cancel the contract and hand it over to the other agency.

I look forward to the positive changes about the problem.

Thank you and have a pleasant day.

Sincerely,

Shivam Desai

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly describe the failure of the collection system, explain the negative impact on the neighborhood, and provide actionable suggestions for the council. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter of complaint. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the specific consequences of the missed collections, such as mentioning the attraction of pests or the specific duration of the problem, to provide more depth to your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices like 'In addition', 'Therefore', and 'Due to this problem' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your transition words and ensure that the progression between sentences feels more natural. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'scheduled days', 'overloaded', and 'local authorities'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'breath nasty smells' (breathe) and 'encountered with many diseases' (which is grammatically awkward). The phrase 'less oxygen in the air' is also slightly unnatural in this context. Focusing on more precise collocations will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'causing problem to us' (problems), 'garbage flies all over the place to the neighborhood' (in the neighborhood), and 'More often then not' (than). Additionally, 'it made us feel' should be 'it makes us feel' to maintain consistent tense. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score.

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

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