Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-29

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 4.5)

Dear Sir,

I hope you find this letter in good health and high spirits. I am writing this letter let you know , the rubbish collection system is not working properly.This is causing problem for you and yours neighbours. Its is all people giong to work in see the rubbish garbage. This is bad affecting of all city people and your neighbour because its is bad smell in garbage moskito also present which transment deseases.

There should be done about the solve this problem. Its is good affecting you and yours neighbours. The system of change the all staff local area working and clean the rubbish collection. I hope you solve this problem.

Thanks you,

Balraj singh.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the ideas. While you have attempted to address all three bullet points—describing the problem, explaining the impact, and suggesting a solution—the ideas are underdeveloped and lack the necessary detail to fully satisfy the task. For example, the suggestion to 'change the all staff' is vague and lacks a clear explanation of how this would resolve the issue. To improve, you must expand on your points with specific examples and ensure you meet the length requirement to allow for a more comprehensive response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks a clear logical progression. While there is a basic attempt at paragraphing, the transitions between sentences are often abrupt or confusing, such as the shift from describing the rubbish to the mention of 'moskito'. The use of cohesive devices is very limited and often inaccurate, which makes the text difficult to follow. To improve, you should use linking words like 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'therefore' to connect your ideas more smoothly and ensure each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed point.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, with several errors in word choice and spelling that occasionally impede communication. For instance, 'transment deseases' is unclear, and 'bad affecting' is an incorrect collocation. You rely on simple, high-frequency words and struggle to express more complex ideas accurately. To improve, focus on learning common collocations related to formal letter writing and environmental issues, and pay closer attention to the correct spelling of key terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often make the meaning difficult to grasp. There are issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'its is bad smell'), incorrect sentence structure, and missing articles. The range of structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. To improve, you should practice basic sentence construction, focusing on correct verb tenses and the proper use of articles and prepositions. Reviewing how to form complex sentences using relative clauses or conjunctions would also help improve your score.

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

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