Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-20

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 to express my serious concern regarding the rubbish/garbage collection system in our local area, which has not been functioning properly.

Over the past few weeks, the rubbish collection truck has not been coming on scheduled pick days. On the day they do come, several bags are left behind the pavement. As a result, waste accumulate outside houses for days and creating problems in my society.

This has cause considerable difficulties for the residents residing in this vicinity. The smell become unpleasant, especially in summer and many raccoon and rabbits has been seen near the bins and torn the garbage bags. consequently, these raccoons making pedestrian walkway cluttered, as a result kids and neighbour are facing health problems.

I propose that the council ensure waste is collected on timely and regular manner and appoint a contact so that we can reach out when the waste collection is missed.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding the steps that will be taken.

Yours sincerely,

Lovejeet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described the collection issues, explained the impact on residents, and provided a clear suggestion for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a council. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are slightly more developed; for instance, you could elaborate on the specific health risks or the frequency of the missed collections to provide a more comprehensive picture of the situation. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'As a result', 'consequently', and 'in this vicinity' to link your ideas. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by minor grammatical errors that affect the cohesion of sentences. For example, the transition between the description of the animals and the resulting health problems could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different aspects of the complaint, which helps the reader follow your argument easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. You used terms like 'functioning properly', 'scheduled pick days', and 'cluttered' effectively. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'residing in this vicinity' (which is slightly redundant) and 'on timely and regular manner' (should be 'in a timely and regular manner'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the vocabulary from being considered sophisticated. Expanding your range of collocations would help improve your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that detract from the overall quality. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('waste accumulate', 'smell become', 'rabbits has been seen') and tense inconsistencies ('this has cause'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and phrasing errors, such as 'torn the garbage bags' instead of 'tearing the garbage bags'. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and verb forms will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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