Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-29

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,

I am writing to pressent a complaint oon the sitaution of wate managrment if magami and the side effects on the residents.

Since 2023, we have been faced with an issue of non-evacuation of of trashes deposited by the society by the authorities incharge. At a time, we even hired a private company to do the work but the cost was overwhelminig for us considering the fact that we still pay our envirionmental sanitation bills.

Actually, it has caused a lot of damages for those that live around the area and also passersby. In addition to this, it posses a risk of increasing spread of infectious diseases within the society.

On this note, I am suggesting the goverment should make a proper examination of the sector that is involved and in addition make the necessary corrections to enhance their services. Also, appropriate waste bins should be provided at all the corners to avoid littering of refuse.

Thanks, as I anticipate a positive feedback.

Yours faithfully,

Eke Arinze

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The candidate successfully covers all parts of the prompt, satisfying the requirements of a General Training letter. The first bullet point is addressed by describing the non-evacuation of trash by authorities since 2023. The second bullet point is covered by explaining the negative effects on local residents and passersby, specifically mentioning the risk of infectious diseases. The third bullet point is met through clear suggestions for the government to examine the sector and provide proper waste bins. The tone is appropriately formal and polite for a council complaint. The purpose of the letter is evident throughout, and the ideas are extended with relevant details, such as mentioning the burden of hiring a private company alongside environmental sanitation bills. Overall, the response fulfills the task requirements effectively, earning a solid band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter maintains a clear overall progression and logical organization from the introductory statement of purpose through to the conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points, such as the problem description, the impacts, and the proposed solutions. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, as seen with phrases like "In addition to this" and "On this note." However, some minor organizational and referencing issues appear, such as the slightly abrupt transition into the second paragraph and minor mechanical elements in the closing. Despite these minor flaws, the structure remains coherent and easy to follow, supporting the clear development of the writer's argument throughout the correspondence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common lexical items such as "evacuation," "overwhelming," and "infectious diseases." However, there are notable spelling errors throughout the text, including "pressent" instead of present, "oon" instead of on, "sitaution" instead of situation, "wate managrment" instead of waste management, "if magami" instead of in Magami, "trashes" instead of trash, and "envirionmental" instead of environmental. Additionally, "posses" contains a spelling error. While these vocabulary and spelling errors do not completely impede communication because the context remains clear, they restrict the lexical score as they require reader effort.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating the ability to construct longer sentences with subordinate clauses, such as in "considering the fact that we still pay our envirionmental sanitation bills." Grammatical control varies; there are several structural and punctuation errors, including "Dear sir" (which should be capitalized as Dear Sir), missing articles ("authorities incharge" instead of the authorities in charge, "the goverment" instead of the government), and preposition or phrasing slips ("spread of infectious diseases within the society"). However, many sentences are constructed correctly, and the errors do not impede overall communication. The mix of structures combined with these recurring accuracy limitations places the performance comfortably at this band level.

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

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