Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-13

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, madam

I am writing to bring your attention that the garbage collection system that we have in our area is not working properly which is creating an issue not just for me but for my neighbours as well.

It is affecting us as all the garbage we have is collecting space and has an unpleasant odour due to food waste and other garbage that also attracts insects to come around and animals if it is left outside. We can also not go to any nearby place and dump the garbage as there is place around and we don't want to throw in public places that will make environmental issues.

I suggest you to please send us any subsistute garbage trucks that can come and pickup the garbage rather than our usual truck that comes or if any temporary arrangements can be done with done with different vendor till this issue is resolved.

If you can look into this matter will be really appreciated looking forward to hear from you

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: describing the system failure, explaining the impact on residents, and suggesting a solution. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the description of the problem is brief, and the suggestion for a 'substitute' truck could be more detailed regarding the specific nature of the service failure. While the task requirements are met, the response lacks the depth of development required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the task. There is a clear progression from the problem to its impact and finally to the proposed solution. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'It is affecting us' and 'I suggest you to' are used to transition between ideas, but the overall flow could be improved with a wider variety of linking words and better management of referencing to avoid minor awkwardness in sentence structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be conveyed clearly. There are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'collecting space' (likely meaning 'taking up space' or 'accumulating') and 'subsistute' (spelling error). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on common terms like 'garbage' and 'problem'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items related to municipal services and environmental issues.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I am writing to bring your attention that' (should be 'bring to your attention the fact that'), 'We can also not go' (should be 'We also cannot go'), and 'If you can look into this matter will be really appreciated' (a run-on sentence structure). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to sentence boundaries and correct prepositional usage is needed.

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

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