Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-04

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 or Madam,

I am writing this letter to inform you that system that made to collect garbage are not working properly in our local area.

The workers who collect garbage do not come on time and sometime they do not even collect garbage without any prior notice which cause street animals like dogs spread that rubbish in the street which attract mosquito which spread many harmful diseases like Dengue and malaria. Most of the children of our society are bed ridden because of this new system.

The supervisor who supervise the duties of the worker should take strict action if any employee start late and do not shows punctuality and loyalty for their work should be suspended. the prior three days notice should be given to the people of the area from where garbage will not collected with proper acceptable reason.

I hope my letter will be taken seriously and proper action must be processed.

Your faithfully,

Aaryan.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: describing the system failure, explaining the impact on the community, and suggesting solutions. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, the claim that 'most of the children of our society are bed ridden' is an extreme over-generalization that lacks nuance, which slightly weakens the professional tone of the letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that the consequences described are realistic and logically supported. Overall, the task is fulfilled, but the depth of the arguments could be improved.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure, moving from the problem to the impact and finally to the proposed solution. Paragraphing is used to separate these ideas, which helps the reader follow the argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. There is a lack of linking words or transition phrases to connect sentences smoothly (e.g., 'The workers... The supervisor...'). The flow is somewhat choppy, and the relationship between sentences could be made more explicit through the use of cohesive devices like 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition.'

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the message to be understood clearly. However, the range is limited, and there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, 'system that made to collect' should be 'system designed to collect,' and 'bed ridden' is used in a context that feels slightly unnatural. There is also a lack of more sophisticated or 'less common' vocabulary that would demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. The repetition of the word 'garbage' could also be avoided by using synonyms like 'refuse' or 'waste'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include missing articles ('the system'), subject-verb agreement ('workers... do not come', 'employee start late'), and punctuation errors (missing commas and run-on sentences). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent and noticeable. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that verbs agree with their subjects and that articles are used correctly before nouns. The attempt at complex structures is present, but the accuracy needs significant refinement.

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

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