Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 6.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my concern about the garbage collection system is not working properly in my local area, which is causing many problems for the local residents.

The rubbish collection system is not collecting garbage timely, due to which, the garbage stay for long time in the residential areas. The team collects garbage once in a month and they do not collect it properly and every time they left some waste is behind.

It has very negative impact not only me but also on the local people, especially who are living in the surrounding areas. When garbage is not collected for long tome then it produces very strong and odor smell, so it becomes difficult for individuals to breath. Additionally, it also gives birth to many insects, such as mosquitoes, which become causes of many health problems.

I would appreciate it if the garbage is collected either weakly or bi-weekly as it may reduce problems that local people face in their everyday lives. In addition, appropriate investigation should be conducted on this matter and proper training should be provided to the garbage collection team in order to avoid such issues in the future.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I hope appropriate should be taken in order to maintain the cleanliness for the betterment of the local residents.

Yours faithfully,

Soni.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe the irregular collection schedule, explain the negative health and environmental impacts on the community, and provide logical suggestions for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are slightly more developed; for instance, you could elaborate on the specific health risks or the nature of the 'investigation' you suggest. However, the response is fully relevant and covers all requirements effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'In addition' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by minor mechanical errors in sentence structure, such as 'due to which, the garbage stay for long time'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my concern', 'negative impact', and 'betterment of the local residents' are appropriate for the context. There are some instances of awkward phrasing or word choice, such as 'odor smell' (which is redundant) and 'weakly' (which should be 'weekly'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate your points, using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing would 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 frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('garbage stay', 'they left some waste is behind') and article usage ('the garbage collection system is not working' vs 'the garbage collection system is not working properly'). Some sentences are slightly disjointed due to these errors. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic tense consistency and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with accurate punctuation and verb forms.

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

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