Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-06

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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. The purpose of my writing this letter is the ongoing dispute about garbage collection unit on Living Crescent street. My name is Twinkal Bodala, I resided in the same street. Me and my neighbours are tired of the untidy surroundings as garbage collection unit is not working properly.

There are many problems associated with these unit as many times they do not handle waste material with care and result of that more litter is accumulating near to my house and my neighbour's house. The neighbour who live next door also had done complain in the municipality via email but they did not take any strict action yet. Also, one time they scratched the car which was side parked in front of my house, undoubtedly goverment had to pay the insurance amount but still they have quite reckless behaviour in driving garbage collecting vehicle.

We never have this kind of problem before until the new recruiters have changed the old staff and hired new people. People from my street are quite unsatified with the service and we are requesting the people of authority to take an appropriate actions to alleviate this problem. If you would hire hard working and ethical people, we would really appreciate it. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Twinkal Bodala.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly describe the issue with the collection system, explain the negative impact on the residents, and suggest a solution. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. However, some ideas could be developed further; for instance, the suggestion to hire new staff is a bit brief. To reach a higher band, ensure that your suggestions are more detailed and directly linked to the problems mentioned. Overall, the response is relevant and addresses the task requirements effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Also' and 'If you would', to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by slightly awkward phrasing, such as 'result of that more litter is accumulating'. The use of referencing is generally clear, but some transitions between sentences could be smoother to improve the overall progression of your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'ongoing dispute', 'untidy surroundings', and 'alleviate'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'side parked' instead of 'parked on the side' and 'people of authority' instead of 'the relevant authorities'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over vocabulary. Expanding your range of collocations and idiomatic expressions would help elevate your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and subject-verb agreement, such as 'I resided' (should be 'I reside'), 'neighbour who live' (should be 'lives'), and 'we never have this kind of problem' (should be 'have never had'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors throughout the text. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Focusing on consistent tense usage and article placement will improve your accuracy.

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

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