Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-21

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 4.0)

Dear MR GILL,

I am writing this letter regarding to rubbishgarbage collection in near my house.

Rubbish garbage collection system not working properly because mostly people always garbage throw every time. garbage place totaley full not only but also waste paper, glass always throw it garbage.

There are so many affect for near my house garbage place because my neighbours old age people so very difficult for healthy and weather. me and my neighbours very affect in summery time because all time rain and

so I suggest for this problem. please remove garbage place because very affect people to this rubbishgarbage. not only but all so also all waste throw in near my house. so I suggest to remove all garbage because not good for every one healthy.

I am looking for your reponse

your sincerely

Ratinder Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.5

The response addresses all three bullet points of the prompt, but the development of ideas is limited and the content is often repetitive. The description of the problem is unclear due to fragmented sentences, and the explanation of the impact on neighbours lacks specific detail. Furthermore, the letter is 12 words under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. To improve, you should expand on your ideas with full, coherent sentences and ensure you meet the minimum word count requirement to fully develop your points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The letter lacks a logical flow. While there is an attempt at paragraphing, the sentences within the paragraphs are disjointed and often lack clear connections. The use of cohesive devices is very limited and frequently misused, such as the repetitive use of 'not only but also' and 'so'. The progression of ideas is difficult to follow, and the lack of proper sentence structure makes the overall message hard to track. Improving the use of linking words like 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'therefore' would help create a more professional and readable structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive. There are significant issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'rubbishgarbage' and 'very affect people'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to express complex ideas clearly. Many words are used incorrectly, which occasionally impedes the reader's understanding. To reach a higher band, you should focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to waste management and community issues, and practice using these words in complete, grammatically correct sentences rather than relying on simple, repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The grammar is highly problematic throughout the letter. There are frequent errors in sentence structure, verb tense, and word order, such as 'mostly people always garbage throw' and 'me and my neighbours very affect'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the simple sentences provided often contain fundamental errors that make the meaning unclear. Punctuation is also inconsistent. To improve, you must focus on basic sentence construction—ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb—and work on consistent verb tense usage.

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

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