Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-19

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to address a concerning issue regarding the garbage collection procedure. Earlier the garbage was collected on a daily bases and after a strike by the cleaning department, it suddenly stopped. The garbage was collected in a well mannered structure where the recycled products were collected on the Fridays while the organic waste and garbage was taken out on Mondays.

Our whole locality is suffering badly because of this situation. As living in a urban area, all we expect is basic facilities. Last week all our neighbours had a meeting regarding the situation and unfortunately, the outcome was not satisfied and accepted by some individuals. There are variety of problems we are facing such as spread of mosquitoes around our locality has increased immensely, stray animals are eating the rubbish from the dustbins and sometimes attacking the pedestrians while crossing that area. Moreover, the monsoon season is here and all we fear is spreading of dangerous communicable diseases.

The solution which we think would work best for the society, the council and the workers is hiking the salaries of cleaning associates as the job they are doing is extremely hard and demanding. Apart from that, a new contract can be made with another cleaning company if the budget of the council is limited.

I am hoping for a positive change.

Yours faithfully,

Harman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly described the breakdown in the collection system, explained the negative impact on the community, and provided logical suggestions for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the consequences regarding health and safety. To reach a higher band, ensure that your suggestions are slightly more focused on the council's direct responsibilities, although your current suggestions are relevant and well-supported. Overall, the task is fully addressed with a clear purpose maintained throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'Apart from that' to link your ideas. However, the flow between sentences could be smoother; for instance, the transition in the second paragraph regarding the neighbors' meeting feels slightly abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is a bit mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is more seamless. Despite these minor issues, the overall structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'communicable diseases' and 'demanding' are used appropriately. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'daily bases' (should be 'daily basis'), 'well mannered structure' (which is slightly unnatural in this context), and 'outcome was not satisfied' (should be 'satisfactory'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage. Expanding your range of collocations and checking word forms will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'As living in a urban area' (should be 'As we live in an urban area') and 'spread of mosquitoes... has increased' (the subject-verb agreement is fine, but the phrasing is slightly awkward). There are also minor punctuation and article errors throughout. While these errors rarely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. Focusing on consistent subject-verb agreement and correct article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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