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,

I am writing to suggest some improvement in the garbage collection system in my colony, since residents and I have been facing problems for the past few months.

Over the past few months, many new residents have moved to our colony, and we only have one large bin which is not enough for the entire society's garbage. Moreover, the dump truck only comes once in a week. As a result garbage bin is being overflowed.

Our society smells bad because of garbage spread on the street. It also attracts mosquitoes, which can cause many serious health problems. Furthermore, it has blocked the traffic since the half street is covered with the rubbish.

I was wondering if you could place another bin in our society and allocate two trips of the dump truck to collect garbage per week, it would solve the issue. Furthermore, Please let me know what you think.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours sincerely,

Parvinderjeet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly describe the current system's inadequacy, explain the negative impact on the community, and provide concrete suggestions for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands the urgency of the situation. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the specific nature of the 'serious health problems' or provide more detail on the logistical challenges of the current collection schedule to further strengthen the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'As a result', and 'Furthermore' to link your ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Additionally, the sentence structure in the final paragraph is slightly run-on, which affects the flow. Using a wider variety of linking phrases would improve the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'allocate', 'prompt response', and 'society'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'garbage bin is being overflowed' is unnatural; 'the bins are overflowing' would be more precise. Similarly, 'smells bad' is quite basic; 'emits a foul odor' would be more appropriate for a formal complaint. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'suggest some improvement' should be 'suggest some improvements', and 'only in a week' should be 'once a week'. There is also a comma splice in the final paragraph: '...collect garbage per week, it would solve the issue.' This should be two separate sentences or joined with a semicolon. Despite these errors, they do not impede communication, and you show a good grasp of basic sentence construction.

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

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