Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to grab your attention towards the system used for debris collection.

To begin with, the garbage is not collecting on regular basis by the employees of this department. Moreover, the garbage bins are not only small but also without lids which spread the bad odour in the surroundings and also invites the flies.

By this, the atmosphere of our area becomes unhealthy and residents are unable to spend their leisure time outside.In addition, the cases of various diseases are also inclined because of the irregular collection of the debris.

To mitigate this, kindly appoint a supervisor for the irresponsible staff and also provided proper bins with its lids to cover the garbage in public places.

Please take this major issue into your consideration and I will be eagerly waiting for your response.

Thank you

Rohit

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task, providing a description of the issue, its impact, and a suggestion for improvement. However, the response is 142 words long, which falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length negatively impacts the development of your ideas, as the points could have been expanded with more specific detail or examples to fully meet the task requirements. To improve, ensure you elaborate further on the consequences of the problem and provide more detailed suggestions to reach the word count comfortably.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' to link your ideas. However, the paragraphing is somewhat inconsistent, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The transition between the description of the problem and the impact on residents is clear, but the overall progression of ideas feels a bit mechanical. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed idea would improve the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have used an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message, such as 'mitigate', 'irresponsible', and 'surroundings'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'garbage is not collecting' should be 'garbage is not being collected', and 'cases of various diseases are also inclined' is an unnatural phrasing; 'on the rise' or 'increasing' would be more appropriate. While your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score. Focus on learning common collocations related to environmental and community issues.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading, such as 'garbage is not collecting' (passive voice error) and 'provided proper bins with its lids' (subject-verb agreement and pronoun reference error). Additionally, 'which spread the bad odour' should be 'which spreads'. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on mastering passive voice constructions and ensuring subject-verb agreement in your sentences.

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

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