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 or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my concern about the increasing concerns of rubbish collection in my area and to local council to take steps.

The rubbish collection system is not working properly in my neigh bourhood. The rubbish collector truck comes but not picking all garbage on time. The timetable which is shared by city is not fair. Monday is a garbage day around 5 am, which is wrong time. I have a suggestion of changing this time to 8 am. Most in my surroundings are sleeping around this time. As we all know, this is summer time and city already suggested not to put garbage outside overnight, as bears are out.

I would suggest, please look into this matter, please change the timetable of dumpster trucks for twice so it would be more convenient for all of us. This is creating a huge impact on us and my neighbours please try to fix this issue as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,

Mohit

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You described the collection issues, explained the impact on residents, and suggested a solution. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention the impact on neighbours, you could have elaborated more on the specific health or safety concerns beyond the mention of bears. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the structure of the arguments could be more cohesive to ensure the reader fully understands the urgency of the situation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'I would suggest' and 'This is' are used frequently, and there is a lack of varied linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly. The transition between the description of the problem and the suggested solution is clear, but the overall flow could be improved by using a wider range of transition signals to better connect your sentences and arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message, but it is somewhat basic and occasionally imprecise. For example, 'rubbish collector truck' is understandable but could be more naturally phrased as 'garbage collection vehicle'. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'timetable which is shared by city is not fair', where 'schedule' or 'collection timetable' would be more precise. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more specific collocations related to municipal services and formal correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'The rubbish collector truck comes but not picking all garbage' (should be 'does not pick up') and 'Most in my surroundings are sleeping' (should be 'Most people in my neighbourhood'). Additionally, there are issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not prevent the meaning from being understood, they occur frequently enough to limit your score in this criterion.

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

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