Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-05

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 6.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my concern regarding the garbage collection in the Skyview area.

I currently live in Skyview bay. My neighbours and I have been facing a rubbish collection problem since June. We have noticed that person who collect the garbage come once every month due to this the garbage pilled-up in our backyard. Before June, person who collect the rubbish used to come three times a month.

To explain the situation more clearly, due to this pilled-up garbage in our backyard is causing an unpleasant odor. Moreover, family member are getting sick every week.

Undoubtedly, resolving this issue will restore my confidence and trust in your service. I would be therefore great if you can see this matter and a person will come more than two times a week in order to collect the garbage.

Yours sincerely,

Alpeshkumar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the task prompt, positioning the letter well with a suitable opening and closing. You clearly describe the issue regarding the garbage collection in the Skyview area, explain how it is affecting residents through bad odors and health concerns, and offer a suggested solution. Some bullet points are developed more fully than others; for instance, the explanation of the health impact is somewhat brief and could be extended further to reach a higher level. Nevertheless, the purpose of the letter is transparent and the tone is appropriate for communicating with a local council, meeting the requirements for this band.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter presents a coherent overall arrangement with a logical flow of ideas from the initial greeting and statement of purpose to the description of the problem, its effects, and your final request. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate different parts of the letter's content. However, cohesion at times feels a bit mechanical or faulty, such as the transitional phrase 'due to this pilled-up garbage in our backyard is causing', which disrupts the smooth progression of sentences. Referencing is generally clear, but improving the variety and natural flow of cohesive devices would help elevate the organizational structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating your core message to the reader. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary items, such as 'unpleasant odor' and 'express my concern', but these are accompanied by noticeable errors in word form, spelling, and word choice, such as writing 'pilled-up' instead of 'piled up' and omitting articles or prepositions like 'the person who collect'. These lexical inaccuracies do not seriously impede communication, but they highlight the need for greater precision in word selection and collocation to achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over sentence structure. However, there are several noticeable errors in grammar and punctuation, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'person who collect' and awkward dependent clauses such as 'due to this the garbage pilled-up'. Attempts at more complex structures often contain errors, for instance in the final sentence: 'I would be therefore great if you can see this matter and a person will come'. While these errors occasionally cause some difficulty for the reader, they rarely completely obscure the meaning of your sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.