Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to bring into your attention the problem that our society is facing due to the breakdown of the waste collection machine. All the neighbours are struggling to sort out the litter that had been growing everyday.

We are supposed to expect waste collection trucks coming and picking up the garbage every Wednesday and Friday. However, no any cleaners showed up this whole week at all. After investigating, we came to know that the truck has broken down with the lift that carries the waste containers.

Unfortunately, the waste management team has advised us that there are no any arrangements made by city council to resolve the issue. Consequently, there will be no any garbage pickup in the coming week also. This lack in fixing the waste collection equipment in an appropriate period of time has greatly contributed to the level of garbage in the whole neighbourhood.

I request you on behalf of the whole community that this problem should be resolved promptly to maintain the cleanliness of our surroundings. If it is taking a while then I would urge you to provide us with a temporary solution so that the existing waste can be taken away.

Yours sincerely,

Gurpreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe the failure of the waste collection system, explain the negative impact on the community, and provide a constructive suggestion for a temporary solution. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council, and the purpose is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the situation described. To reach a higher band, ensure that all details are presented with maximum clarity; for instance, the mention of a 'waste collection machine' is slightly ambiguous, as it is usually a truck or a service, but this does not hinder the overall communication of your message.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Consequently', and 'In addition' to link your ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas from the problem to the impact and finally to the proposed solution is logical and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'investigating', 'arrangements', and 'promptly'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'bring into your attention' (should be 'bring to your attention') and 'no any' (which is grammatically redundant). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your range to include more topic-specific vocabulary related to waste management or civic services would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with the use of 'no any' (e.g., 'no any cleaners', 'no any arrangements'), which is non-standard. Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the letter. To improve, focus on eliminating redundant negatives and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy would help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

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

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