Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-09

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 5.5)

Dear Sir/ Madam

I am writing to express my concern regarding rubbish , which is collected twice week. This becomes a huge issue for us. This workers do not work properly from last few weeks .

The main reason for this they could not reach on fix time according to the time,that is fixed by management communty. This is because the ration of the staff is

Lesser than according to my large town. As a result , they are unable to cover each and every part of the city. .

This not only create mosquito for indoore people but also gernatre hinderdance on the road . People are unable to walk or pass their vichcle because of huge smiling and sometimes bags are broken by

Animals.

I would appreciate it if you could solve this issue as soon as possible, by adding some more workers in that field.

Your Faithfully.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: describing the problem, explaining the impact, and suggesting a solution. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of the impact is slightly unclear due to phrasing issues (e.g., 'create mosquito for indoore people'). While the task requirements are met, the ideas could be expanded with more specific detail to reach a higher band. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a council, though the brevity of the response limits the depth of the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure of your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition between the problem and the impact is abrupt. There are also issues with referencing; for example, 'This workers' should be 'These workers'. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' to connect your ideas more fluidly and logically throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message, but it is often imprecise or contains spelling errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'gernatre hinderdance' (generate hindrance), 'vichcle' (vehicle), and 'smiling' (likely meaning 'smell'). These errors indicate a need for more careful proofreading. While you attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'management community' and 'rubbish collection', the word choices are sometimes awkward. Expanding your range of collocations and focusing on accurate spelling will significantly improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('This workers do not work'), article usage ('the ration of the staff'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple, and attempts at more complex structures often result in errors that can impede clarity, such as 'This is because the ration of the staff is Lesser than according to my large town.' You should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically pluralisation and correct verb tenses, before attempting more complex grammatical forms.

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

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