Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-18

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, i am writing this letter to inform you about the rubbish collected in the area near my house because the collecting system is not working in a good way .they have a duty to collect the rubbish every week but from last two week they are not coming . garbage is spreading everywhere arount neighbourhood .it is spreeding bad smell so nobody can stay a few second outside the house .this is reason for unhealthy life because the bees are rounding on garbage and comes in our house with germs that makes the reason for infection for our body. few neighbours are fighting with infection and fever becacause of garbage. i am reruesting you to please take any step as soon as possible to clean the rubbish. you should hire new staff if you have less .So they can come every week to collect the garbage . hope you will consider about our serious problem. thanks

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: describing the problem, explaining the impact on the community, and suggesting a solution. Your tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention the rubbish is not being collected, you could have provided more specific details about the type of waste or the exact location to make your complaint more effective. The suggestion to 'hire new staff' is relevant, but the overall response lacks the depth required for a higher band score. Ensure you expand on your points to fully satisfy the requirements of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the problem to its consequences and finally to a proposed solution. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and often mechanical. There is a lack of linking words or transition phrases to connect your sentences smoothly. For instance, the transition between the impact of the rubbish and the request for action is abrupt. Furthermore, the paragraphing is non-existent; a formal letter should clearly separate the introduction, body, and conclusion into distinct paragraphs to improve readability and structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, but it is quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use the word 'rubbish' and 'garbage' interchangeably without much variation. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'arount' instead of 'around', 'spreeding' instead of 'spreading', and 'reruesting' instead of 'requesting'. These errors, combined with the limited range of vocabulary, restrict your ability to express your ideas with precision. To improve, try to incorporate more varied synonyms and ensure you check your spelling carefully before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

Your writing contains a mix of simple sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of your message. Issues include incorrect verb tenses (e.g., 'from last two week they are not coming' should be 'for the last two weeks they have not come') and missing articles or incorrect prepositions (e.g., 'makes the reason for infection for our body'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing capital letters at the start of sentences. You need to focus on subject-verb agreement and basic sentence construction to improve your accuracy.

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

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