Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-23
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 5.5)
Dear local council ,
I hope you are doing well.I am writing this email garbage collectors , in my area they are not working properly.This issue mainly caused a lot of problems not only for me but also for our neighbor.
They are not coming on the schedules days and due to this garbage delayed every time. Which is not good for us. The bin also overfilled every week we don’t have another space.The weird thing happened all the time the garbage collectors mostly missed some street.
Furthermore, streets are not fully cleaned, we also have difficulty walking and parking the cars.
Even we face the smell issue due to overloading bin. It gives the health concerns.
I hope you understand our concern.I would suggest please look into this problem.
Thank you so much for your time. Look forward for your response.
Kind Regards,
Gagandeep.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The letter addresses all three bullet points: the system failure, the impact on residents, and a suggestion for improvement. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the score. The ideas are relevant but somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the suggestion to 'look into this problem' is quite vague. To achieve a higher band, you should expand on your points with more specific details, such as how long this has been occurring or specific dates of missed collections, to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into a logical sequence, moving from the problem to the impact and finally the suggestion. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. Phrases like 'The weird thing happened' and 'Which is not good for us' are informal and do not effectively link ideas. Paragraphing is present but could be more distinct to separate the different points clearly. Improving the use of transition words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'as a result' would help the flow of the letter significantly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic terms like 'not working properly' and 'not good'. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'garbage delayed' and 'smell issue'. To improve, you should aim for more precise terminology related to waste management, such as 'irregular collection schedules', 'overflowing bins', or 'sanitary concerns'. The current range is sufficient to convey the message, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The letter contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'I am writing this email garbage collectors', which is missing a preposition, and 'due to this garbage delayed', which is syntactically incorrect. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'the health concerns'). While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence structure prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic errors is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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