Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-14

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 formally writing this email to let you know about the growing concern for garbage collection in my neighbourhood.

I have noticed, since, long time about the rising issues with the trash system being disrupted as, there is not separation for household waste or cardboards. Everything is being collected at crossroads, but it has never been picked by the garbage van. Thus, it leads to accumulation and know it has turned into a dumping ground.

I would like to inform the council that, it has adverse effects in my community. Toddlers, elderly aged groups and residents are facing health problems due to wastage accumulated. Moreover, it could lead to lung and skin infection.

According to me, the frequent visits from the garbage trucks could help to remove the garbage and clear out the space. Thereafter, it would be easy to clean the area, and most importantly sanitized the space.

I hope to see you taking some actions on this burning problem.

yours faithfully

parth,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe the failure of the collection system, explain the negative impact on the community, and suggest a solution. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited; for instance, the explanation of the health risks is brief. To reach a higher band, you could expand on the specific nature of the 'disruption' or provide more detail on the proposed solution, such as requesting a specific schedule change or a public awareness campaign regarding waste separation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Thus', and 'Thereafter' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced. For example, the phrase 'According to me' is not a standard way to introduce a suggestion in formal writing; 'In my opinion' or 'I suggest that' would be more natural. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'it has adverse effects', where the antecedent for 'it' is slightly ambiguous.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accumulation', 'disrupted', and 'adverse effects'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'since, long time' is non-standard; 'for a long time' would be correct. 'Sanitized the space' should be 'sanitize the space' (verb form). The phrase 'elderly aged groups' is redundant. Improving your control over collocations and ensuring precise word forms will help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'it has never been picked by the garbage van' (should be 'collected'), 'know it has turned' (should be 'now'), and 'taking some actions' (should be 'taking action'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the unnecessary use of commas after 'since' and 'that'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band score.

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

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