Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my concern regarding the garbage collection system which is not working sufficiently and create a problems for me and my neighbours.

The garbage tank which is located on the main road for the collection of rubbish is broken from the sides and when the truck is coming for dumping the trash it could spill on the road and stays their for days until anyone put back into the bin.

As you know, city area is a busy road and there is a pedistrain walk along side the road when all the trash is dispersed here and there it create a difficulty for individuals to cross the area because it produce smell that is unbearable and become a focal point of various health issues.

I would like to request you please change the garbage collection system or attach a board on it with instructions like do not through trash anywhere expect the garbage bin otherwise they have to pay a penalty.

Thank you for your attention.

Yours Sincerely,

Ramandeep Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the task. You clearly describe the broken garbage tank, explain the negative impact on the community (smell and health issues), and provide a suggestion for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are slightly more developed; for example, you could elaborate on how the council might specifically improve the collection schedule or the bin design. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the response is fully relevant to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure, moving from the problem to the impact and finally to the proposed solution. Paragraphing is used, though the letter is quite short, which makes the transitions feel a bit abrupt. You use some cohesive devices like 'As you know' and 'I would like to request', which help the flow. However, the connection between sentences could be smoother; for instance, the transition between the description of the bin and the impact on pedestrians could be improved with better linking words to show cause and effect more clearly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Words like 'insufficiently', 'dispersed', and 'unbearable' are used correctly. However, there are some spelling errors ('pedistrain' instead of 'pedestrian', 'through' instead of 'throw') and minor collocation issues, such as 'create a problems' (should be 'creates problems') and 'stays their' (should be 'stays there'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on accurate word forms and spelling will improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('it create a difficulty' instead of 'it creates difficulty') and tense inconsistencies ('when the truck is coming' instead of 'when the truck comes'). Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as missing commas in complex sentences. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Increasing your control over basic grammar and sentence construction is recommended.

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

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