Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-15

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my serious concerns about the rubbish collection system in our neighbourhood which is not working according to the standards.

From last three weeks, garbage collection truck has not been coming on the designated days to pick up the garbage. On the days when they do come, bags are left behind the bins. As a result, waste is accumulated in front of the houses.

This has created considerable difficulties for the residents who lives in this area. the smell become unpleasent ,especially in summer, rabbits and foxes are seen near the bins. Moreover it has serous issue related to the health and well- being of the people such as for the pedestrians and the childrens who are going to the school.

I would suggest that counsil ensure that garbage is collected timely and on regular basis and appoint a conntact so we can infrom when it missed.

I look forward to hearing from you about the steps that are taken.

Yours faithfully,

Navjot

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student covers all bullet points of the prompt well. The letter successfully describes how the rubbish collection system is failing, explains the negative impacts on residents, and suggests practical solutions such as regular collections and appointing a contact person. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning and maintained throughout. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint to a local council. Ideas are generally well-developed, although some points like the health issues could be slightly more elaborated. Overall, the response meets all the requirements of Task Achievement and fulfills the communicative purpose effectively, earning a solid band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organised into clear paragraphs that follow a standard formal letter structure. The introduction states the purpose, body paragraphs address the specific details of the problem and its effects, and the final paragraph offers suggestions and a closing remark. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'From last three weeks', 'On the days when', 'As a result', and 'Moreover'. However, some referencing and cohesive links are slightly mechanical or awkward, such as 'who lives in this area' instead of 'who live', and occasional missing punctuation. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. Overall, the organisation is clear and progression is logical, fitting the band 6.0 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using appropriate terms related to the topic such as 'neighbourhood', 'designated days', 'waste is accumulated', and 'pedestrians'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, but also noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as writing 'From last three weeks' instead of 'For the last three weeks' and 'smell become unpleasent' with a spelling error. Furthermore, words like 'connsil' and 'conntact' contain spelling mistakes. However, these lexical errors do not impede communication, and the overall meaning remains clear to the reader, placing this response firmly in the band 6.0 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as relative clauses in 'residents who lives in this area' and noun clauses in 'steps that are taken'. However, there are several grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement errors ('residents who lives' instead of 'live'), missing articles ('the smell become unpleasent' and 'serous issue'), and lowercase letters at the start of sentences ('the smell...'). Punctuation is sometimes weak, particularly with commas and capitalisation. While these errors occur frequently, they rarely impede overall communication, demonstrating the characteristics of a band 6.0 performance.

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

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