Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-28

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 would like to inform you about our rubbish collection system. I am living nearby the torbay road mall in northview building, From last 15 days, the garbage has not been collected in our area and its all piled up. I have collected all the garbage in my backyard, which has invited the rats, insects and diseases.

Furthermore, on the system app, it shows the schedule of garbage collection and recycling waste collection but nobody comes for it. Also, I discussed about this issue with my neighbours, they told me that sometimes the rubbish truck forgot to take the recycle waste too. Moreover, our neighbours also struggling the same issue as i am.

At last, i request you to please put some light on this issue. Let us know why the garbage is not collected from our area and why the employers of this collection system are not working properly and collecting the recycle waste too.

Yours sincerely,

Ranveer Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The candidate has successfully addressed all three bullet points required in the prompt. The letter begins appropriately by describing the issue with the rubbish collection system not working properly for the past fifteen days. The impact on the writer and neighbours is clearly articulated, mentioning the accumulation of waste and the attraction of pests and diseases. Furthermore, a logical suggestion is provided at the end, requesting an explanation and action from the council regarding both general garbage and recycling waste. The purpose of the letter is clear and maintained throughout, and the tone is suitably formal and polite for a general training letter to a local authority. Therefore, this response fully satisfies the task requirements, meriting a strong score in this area.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter exhibits a clear overall progression, with an appropriate opening greeting and a logical flow from describing the problem to explaining its effects and finally offering suggestions. Paragraphing is used adequately to separate distinct ideas, such as the problem description and the neighbours' experiences. However, some cohesive devices are occasionally weak or overly mechanical, such as 'Furthermore', 'Also', and 'Moreover' clustered together, and 'At last' which is less natural than 'Finally' in this context. Referencing is mostly clear, though some sentences feel slightly disjointed due to punctuation choices. Overall, the organization is sufficiently clear and coherent to meet the criteria for a band 6.5 or 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating ideas about rubbish collection, schedules, recycling, and pests. The candidate attempts some less common phrasing, such as 'invited the rats, insects and diseases' and 'rubbish truck', though some word choices and collocations are slightly unnatural or inaccurate, such as 'employers' instead of 'employees' or 'staff'. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the letter. While the range is sufficient to convey the message clearly, occasional inaccuracies in lexical choice prevent it from reaching a higher band. The vocabulary is functional and serves the communicative purpose well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional-like or descriptive clauses used when discussing the app schedule and neighbours. There are several noticeable grammatical errors, including punctuation and capitalization issues like 'torbay road mall' and 'northview building', tense or aspect slips such as 'I am living nearby' instead of 'I live', and comma splices like 'with my neighbours, they told me'. Additionally, preposition usage is sometimes faulty, as in 'struggling the same issue'. Despite these errors, communication is not impeded, and the meaning remains clear throughout the letter.

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

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