Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-12

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 Or Madam,

I am writing to draw you attention regarding a rubbish collection system is not functioning properly in the bayshore area. It has been affecting my neighbours and I since last two weeks.

To begin with, the garbage collection trucks are not coming on the assign days, which add more and more rubbish at our house. Sometimes we place outside it, but due to wind it was spreaded everywhere. Moreover, it smell awful because it is not efficiently collected.

It has been affectiing us inconveniently and disrupt our daily routine. Sometimes roads and walkways filled with garbage and cartboards, which makes driving and walking uncomfortable.

I would appreciate it if you could investigate this matter and appropriate team or the solution to reslove this concern.

I look forward to hearing from you

You

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: describing the problem, explaining the impact, and suggesting a solution. However, the response is 136 words, which falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length significantly impacts your score, as the ideas are not fully developed. To improve, you should expand on the consequences of the rubbish collection failure, perhaps by mentioning specific health concerns or the duration of the issue in more detail. While the tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council, the brevity prevents you from reaching a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'It has been', which help the flow of ideas. However, the paragraphing is slightly inconsistent, and some transitions feel a bit mechanical. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single clear idea and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your sentences more naturally. The overall progression of the letter is clear, but the limited length restricts the complexity of the cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'rubbish collection', 'disrupt', and 'investigate'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and form, such as 'assign days' (should be 'assigned days') and 'cartboards' (should be 'cardboard'). There is also a spelling error with 'reslove'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise vocabulary and ensure correct word forms. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and formal verbs will also help improve your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'draw you attention' (should be 'your'), 'is not functioning' (should be 'which is not functioning'), 'since last two weeks' (should be 'for the last two weeks'), and 'it was spreaded' (should be 'it spreads' or 'it has spread'). Additionally, 'it smell awful' should be 'it smells awful'. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage, and proofreading for basic errors. Increasing the variety of your sentence structures will also help demonstrate better grammatical control.

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

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