Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-26

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 concern about the gargbage collection facility of the Sabzazar neighbourhood.

For the past month, the garbage collection truck has been inconsistent with the scheduled visits for collecting waste from the outdoor bins. This causes litter to pile up outside our houses for several days.

Due to this, there has been a visible increase in the street animals on the residential roads. The presence of dogs and cats have made it difficult us residents to go outside our houses for walks, without fear. Additionally, foul smell from the garbage sometimes becomes unbearable.

It would be helpful if you could ensure scheduled visits are done without delay. Adopting a digital system could possibly imorove the system, alerting teams on the dates to visit each specific street.

I request that you look into this matter at your earliest convenience. I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Sam Khan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student has successfully covered all parts of the bullet points provided in the prompt. The letter begins with a clear statement of purpose regarding the garbage collection facility in the Sabzazar neighbourhood. The writer describes the core problem—inconsistent scheduled visits by collection trucks causing litter accumulation—and clearly explains the negative impacts, such as an increase in street animals and unbearable foul smells. Furthermore, a logical and appropriate solution is suggested, namely ensuring timely visits and proposing a digital tracking system. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a local council, and the purpose is sustained throughout. The requirements of the task have been fully and effectively met, demonstrating a clear understanding of General Training correspondence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter exhibits a clear and logical overall progression. The response is divided into appropriate paragraphs, each serving a distinct communicative function, from the introductory statement of concern to the body paragraphs detailing the issues and suggestions, and finally a polite closing. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'For the past month', 'Due to this', and 'Additionally', which help guide the reader smoothly through the text. Reference pronouns are generally clear, referring back to the rubbish collection and its effects. While referencing in the sentence 'made it difficult us residents' has a slight omission of a preposition, the overarching structure remains coherent and easy to follow throughout the correspondence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal complaint letter. Appropriate terms like 'inconsistent', 'scheduled visits', 'litter', and 'earliest convenience' are utilised effectively. There are a few minor lexical and spelling errors, such as 'gargbage' (garbage) and 'imorove' (improve), which appear to be typographical slips rather than a fundamental lack of vocabulary knowledge. Less common phrasal items and collocation attempts, such as 'bearable', 'visible increase', and 'digital system', add clarity and precision to the message. The vocabulary successfully conveys the intended meaning without causing any strain for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writer employs a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing to express my concern about...' and 'It would be helpful if you could ensure scheduled visits are done without delay.' There is good control over tense usage, particularly with present simple and past references. However, there is a minor grammatical slip in the phrase 'made it difficult us residents' where 'for' is missing, and a subject-verb agreement issue in 'The presence of dogs and cats have' (where 'has' would be correct since the head noun is 'presence'). Despite these occasional errors, the majority of sentences are grammatically sound and communication is never impeded.

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