Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to bring to your attention issues with the rubbish collection system in my local area which is not working properly and causing many problems in my neighborhood.

The garbage collection system is not functioning properly in my area, Ocklea street, Brampton. The cleaning staff members are not come on schedule days to collect garbage. But sometimes, they are not follow the schedule that makes more rubbish in bins.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While you have introduced the topic and identified the location, you have not fully addressed the bullet points. You failed to explain how the situation is affecting you and your neighbours, and you did not provide any suggestions for what the council should do to resolve the problem. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are covered in detail and that you meet the length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is very brief, making it difficult to assess your ability to manage paragraphing and cohesive devices. The current structure is limited to an introduction and a very short body paragraph. There is no clear progression of ideas because the letter ends abruptly before the required points are discussed. To improve, you should use linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' to connect your sentences and ensure each bullet point from the prompt is addressed in its own well-developed paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is functional but quite basic and repetitive. You use the word 'properly' twice in the first two sentences and 'garbage' or 'rubbish' repeatedly. There is little evidence of a range of vocabulary that would allow for precise communication. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to use more varied synonyms and collocations related to the topic, such as 'waste management services', 'irregular collection', or 'sanitary concerns'. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you express your ideas more clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are several grammatical errors that hinder the flow of your writing. For example, 'The cleaning staff members are not come on schedule days' should be 'The cleaning staff do not come on scheduled days'. Additionally, 'they are not follow the schedule' should be 'they do not follow the schedule'. These errors indicate a lack of control over basic verb tenses and auxiliary verbs. You should focus on mastering simple sentence structures before attempting more complex ones, ensuring that your subject-verb agreement is accurate throughout your writing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.