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 am writing this complaint on behalf of the entire neighbourhood, regarding the poor garbage disposal management. We have been living in this town for past many years and this is the first time we have encountered this problem.

Earlier, the garbage collection truck used to pick up all the trash, daily in the morning at 7:00am sharp. It has been a week since no one has come to clear the trash cans from outside our houses. This has caused us major inconvenience, since we have to keep a lot of trash inside the house, because outside cans are completely filled.

Furthermore, this situation has caused so much pollution on the roads, which is affecting children who walk to school in the morning, negatively.

I would like to request you to clear all the garbage cans outside our homes and thorough cleaning of the streets. Additionally, I would suggest that you hire more staff to pick up garbage, so that this sort of issue does not arise again in future.

I will be highly obliged if you could look into this matter at your earliest.

Kinds regards,

Novaira Waseem

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The student has successfully covered all bullet points outlined in the task prompt. The letter clearly describes how the rubbish collection system is failing, specifically noting that the collection truck has not appeared for a week and that bins are completely overflowing. Furthermore, the response details the impact on the neighbourhood, such as the accumulation of trash indoors and pollution on the roads affecting children walking to school. Finally, actionable suggestions are provided, including requesting thorough street cleaning and hiring additional staff. The tone is appropriately formal for a complaint letter to a local council, and the purpose is clear throughout. The response is fully developed and well-focused, easily achieving a Band 7.0 for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter demonstrates a clear and logical organisation from the opening complaint to the concluding request and sign-off. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as the background, the current problem, the negative impacts, and the proposed solutions. Cohesive devices like 'Earlier', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally' are employed to guide the reader through the text effectively, ensuring a smooth progression of ideas. Although some transitions are quite standard, the referencing remains clear throughout, and the overall structure meets the requirements of Band 7 for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal complaint letter, such as 'garbage disposal management', 'encountered this problem', and 'major inconvenience'. There are some successful attempts at less common lexical items, though a few phrases feel slightly unnatural or awkward, such as 'past many years' instead of 'many years' and 'thorough cleaning of the streets' which lacks a verb in that clause. Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication. These characteristics align well with a Band 6.5 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or relative clauses like 'so that this sort of issue does not arise again in future.' Grammatical control is generally good, with many error-free sentences. However, there are a few minor errors and awkward phrasings, such as 'for past many years' (missing an article), 'since no one has come' (minor tense usage nuance), and 'affecting children... negatively' (slightly clumsy word order). Punctuation is mostly accurate, and errors do not impede communication. The overall control fits the Band 6.5 level.

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