Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-10
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,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding the improper garbage collection system in our area. Unfortunately , this issue has been causing difficulties to us from last week .
The community garbage collection team usually comes every weekend to collect both the rubbish and cardboards. However, it completely stopped coming from last month. We have had a great hope that the city will arrange some alternative ways to pick up all these accumulated waste from this area. But , the waste been piling up here ever since then .
The garbage bin is extremely full and the area is stinging . Resident's are having hard time to open their door because of the smell. At night, raccoons and stray dogs are visiting this place making us extremely scary.
Would it be possible for you to take some proactive measure to solve this issue as soon as possible ? It would be great to arrange the garbage collection department to emptying the bin sooner .
I look forward to hearing from you a positive response. I am really sorry about the troubles I have caused you at this time.
Yours sincerely
k
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: describing the service failure, explaining the impact on residents, and suggesting a solution. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a council. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the suggestion to 'empty the bin sooner' is a bit simplistic. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific details about the frequency of collection or the specific health hazards involved. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the requirements are met.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each addressing a specific part of the prompt. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'But, the waste been piling up' is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. Additionally, the use of punctuation around commas and spaces is inconsistent, which slightly detracts from the overall coherence. Improving the variety of linking words would help the text flow more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'accumulated waste' and 'proactive measure'. However, there are some errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'making us extremely scary' (should be 'making us feel scared') and 'the area is stinging' (which is not the correct collocation for a smell). These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage to reach a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'this issue has been causing difficulties to us from last week' (should be 'since last week'), 'the waste been piling up' (missing auxiliary verb), and 'Resident's are having hard time' (incorrect apostrophe and missing article). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding your point. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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