Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-06

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 5.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter regarding rubbish collection system which is not working properly in my neighbourhood. The workers is not picking all garbage bags which are keeping with garbage bins.

Beacuse of Fall seasons , weather is windy and this bags are flying here and there which makes the neighbourhood dirty and unpleasant . It can block the roads and make accident.

It can pollute the environmrnt.

Could you please tell thge garbage collection members so that they can do their job properly so that society can looks better neat and clean.

Hope so this matter can resolve properly

Your Faithfully

Mandeep Kaur Jandu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main problem: workers leave some rubbish bags beside the bins, and you explain that wind spreads them, making the area dirty and potentially blocking roads. You also make a request for the collection team to do its job properly, so the purpose of writing is clear. However, the effects on you and your neighbours are only briefly described, and the proposed action is vague; for example, you could ask for more frequent collections or for all bags to be removed on each visit. The response also contains 109 words, below the required 150, so the task is only partially developed. Add specific details and a fuller, polite request.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening that states its purpose, a paragraph describing consequences, and a request near the end. This helps the reader follow the basic message. However, the progression is limited: the effects and suggested solution are compressed into short sections, and the relationship between ideas is sometimes unclear. For instance, “It can block the roads and make accident. It can pollute the environmrnt” lists consequences without explaining how they affect residents. The repeated “so that” in the request also makes the sentence awkward. Use separate, developed paragraphs for the collection problem, its impact, and the action requested, with clear links such as “As a result” and “I would therefore ask the council to…”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the central issue, including “rubbish collection,” “garbage bags,” “bins,” and “pollute.” The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to the council, and “dirty and unpleasant” conveys the effect on the neighbourhood. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which can make parts less clear. “Bags are flying here and there” is understandable but informal; “bags are being blown around the streets” is more precise. There are also noticeable spelling errors, including “Beacuse,” “environmrnt,” and “thge.” Aim for more precise language about the service and its consequences, and proofread carefully for spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most of the message can be understood, and you attempt to connect ideas in longer sentences, such as the sentence beginning “Because of Fall seasons.” However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and frequent errors affect accuracy. For example, “The workers is not picking” has incorrect subject–verb agreement, while “so that society can looks” uses the wrong verb form. “It can block the roads and make accident” also has an article and plural error. The sentence about the windy weather and bags is difficult to control, with unclear references and punctuation. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then combine them using clauses such as “Because the bags are left behind, they are blown into the road.”

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