Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this letter finds you in a great health. I am Luna Hart. I live on Pine Street and I am writing to you today to discuss a problem in our neighborhood on behalf of all the locals.

Our neighborhood is experiencing immense issue regarding garbage collection. Every week form the past couple months various houses are being skipped. We are facing problems with a huge pile of garbage. It is also deeply concerning as we are surviving in adversely unhygienic environment. Its really convenient to walk by due to unbearable stench. It has become so extreme that we have to restrict our children to go out to play.

I request you to take kindly an action at your earliest convenience. And we, collectively, also have a special request to make, please do not fire anyone from their jobs.

Warm Regards,

Your fellow locals,

Luna Hart.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt: describing the issue, 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 instance, while you mention the garbage is not being collected, providing a specific example of the frequency or the type of waste would have strengthened the response. Additionally, the suggestion to 'not fire anyone' is a bit unusual for a formal complaint about service failure; focusing on a request for a review of the collection schedule or better management would be more standard and effective.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used to separate the introduction, the body of the complaint, and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic. Transitions between sentences are occasionally abrupt, such as the jump between the description of the garbage and the impact on children. Using more varied linking words or phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'as a result') would improve the flow and help the reader follow your argument more smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly, such as 'unbearable stench' and 'adversely unhygienic'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'in a great health' is unnatural; 'in good health' is the standard idiom. Similarly, 'Its really convenient to walk by' is the opposite of what you intended to say, as you meant 'inconvenient'. These errors do not prevent understanding, but they do limit the precision of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'Every week form the past couple months' (should be 'for'), 'restrict our children to go out' (should be 'from going out'), and 'take kindly an action' (should be 'take action'). While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the overall meaning of your letter. To reach a higher band, focus on improving your control over prepositions and verb patterns, and ensure that your sentence structure remains accurate when attempting more complex ideas.

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

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