Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-03

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope you are doing well. My name is Shraddha, and I live in the Brock Road area. I am writing this letter to complain about the garbage service in my neighbourhood, which has been worsening over the last two weeks. It is supposed to come every week, but it keeps being delayed for several days and gives us trouble.

Moreover, this situation is causing considerable inconvenience to me and my neighbours. Our garbage bins have been sitting outside for so long and have overflowed; as a result, it attracts the insects, flies and other pests, which cause very bad smells, and now it is unbearable. Apart from this, residents near our house are also uncomfortable with this due to safety and health reasons.

However, I would like to suggest providing an appropriate rubbish collection schedule, and if there are any delays due to a shortage of vehicles or staff, the council should inform us by message or email.

I hope you will take action on this situation.

Yours faithfully,

S

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe the issue with the collection schedule, explain the negative impact on your household and neighbours, and provide a constructive suggestion for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council. The ideas are well-developed, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific detail regarding the 'safety and health reasons' mentioned, perhaps by briefly describing the specific risk to children or the elderly in the neighbourhood.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'as a result', and 'Apart from this' to link your ideas effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the task. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the problem to its consequences and finally to the proposed solution. The use of referencing is generally clear, ensuring the reader can follow your argument without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases like 'considerable inconvenience', 'unbearable', and 'appropriate rubbish collection schedule' are used accurately. There is some minor repetition of the word 'garbage', but this does not impede communication. To improve, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific terminology related to municipal services, such as 'sanitation department' or 'waste management protocols', to demonstrate a wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'It is supposed to come every week, but it keeps being delayed...' and 'if there are any delays..., the council should inform us...'. Most sentences are error-free and easy to follow. There is a minor grammatical slip in 'it attracts the insects', where the definite article is unnecessary. However, your control over punctuation and sentence construction is generally strong, and your errors are infrequent and do not cause any confusion for the reader.

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

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