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/Ma

I am writing this letter to discuss an issue regarding our current method of refuse management.

The method of disposing refuse in the largest river near our vicinity has caused more harm than good to the entire community. There has been increased mosquito bite and that has led to widespread of malaria infestation in the neighborhood. Consequently the drainage system is logged up as well which has led to flooding in some areas. In addition, the repugnant smell from this system of waste management is quite disturbing and unhygienic.

Some neighbors have packed out and moved to another city as a result of this terrible living condition. The elderly, pregnant women and our children are also at a very high risk of malaria infection as their immune system may be compromised. There are industries who also rely on this river as their major source of water for production. Such factories have folded up and out of business as the refuse pollutes the water and makes it unsafe to use resulting to unemployment among workers.

I suggest that the local authority should take charge of community refuse disposal. They should stipulate a comon point of collection where each household are to drop they refuse and this refuse would be picked up by environmental sanitation workers who them and reccyles the waste in much safer and hygienic way. Also rules should be enacted against disposal of refuse in the river.

I would appreciate if this matter is looked upon in earnest .Thanks for your anticipated cooperation.

yours faithfully

Muomandu Ogenna

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The candidate has successfully addressed all three bullet points of the prompt. First, they describe how the rubbish collection system is failing by mentioning the disposal of refuse in a nearby river. Second, they explain the negative effects on the community, including the spread of malaria, foul odors, and the closure of local industries. Third, they suggest appropriate solutions, such as council-managed collection points and stricter regulations. The tone is appropriately formal for a council letter, and the purpose is clear throughout. The response is fully developed and well-supported, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0 under Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter follows a clear logical organization with an appropriate salutation and sign-off. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate different ideas, such as the problems, the effects, and the suggestions. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, with transitional phrases like 'Consequently', 'In addition', and 'Also' guiding the reader through the text. However, some connections feel slightly mechanical, and referencing could be smoother in places (e.g., 'each household are to drop they refuse' contains a grammatical slip that slightly impacts cohesive flow). Overall, the organizational structure is clear, earning a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates an adequate to good range of vocabulary suited to the task, incorporating less common items such as 'refuse management', 'malaria infestation', 'repugnant smell', and 'environmental sanitation'. However, there are some noticeable word choice errors and typos, such as 'mosquito bite' instead of 'mosquito bites', 'logged up' instead of 'logged-up' or 'waterlogged', 'packed out' instead of 'packed up' or 'moved out', and 'comon' instead of 'common'. Despite these minor lexical inaccuracies, communication is never impeded, and the range is sufficient for a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The candidate demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures reasonably well (e.g., 'The method of disposing refuse in the largest river... has caused more harm than good'). However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward agreements throughout the text, such as 'each household are to drop they refuse' (subject-verb agreement and pronoun error) and 'resulting to' instead of 'resulting in'. Punctuation is also slightly flawed in places, such as missing commas after introductory transition words. These errors do not impede communication, placing the grammar comfortably at a Band 6.0.

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

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