Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-08

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to request you about the removal of rubbish collection in my area as it is causing problem for the entire street.

To begin with, Since couple of days, we have been facing an issue with the garbage removal in my area. However, they were used to collect waste by maschine since 5 years and the entire service was excellent. Now, they have stopped taking entire waste with maschine and started taking manually and sometimes they do not come and collect the waste and as a result, it overflows the garbage on the roadside.

Furthermore, it is affecting our daily waste removal. Even, my neighbours were also dissatisfied with the current waste removal. Hence, they were complaining about the current system. I hope you could take necessary action against this problem. If you could provide us with any other alternative options with the garbage removal then it would be great help for all of us.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Riddhi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three requested points: it describes missed collections and a change from machine to manual collection, explains that rubbish overflows onto the roadside and that neighbours are dissatisfied, and asks the council to take action or provide an alternative. These details make the complaint relevant and its purpose clear. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The effects on residents are described mainly as dissatisfaction and disruption to waste removal; you could explain more specifically how the overflow affects daily life, such as creating unpleasant smells or attracting pests. The proposed solution is also vague: instead of asking for “any other alternative options,” request a reliable collection schedule, restored machine collection, or extra bins. The formal opening and closing suit a council letter.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: an opening that states the purpose, a paragraph describing the collection problem, a paragraph on its effects and a request, and a polite closing. Connectors such as “To begin with,” “Furthermore,” and “Hence” help signal the stages of the message. However, some linking is mechanical or does not express the relationship clearly. “Even” is not a natural way to introduce the neighbours’ dissatisfaction, while “Hence” repeats the idea of complaining rather than advancing it. The reference in “they were used to collect” is also unclear because the reader must infer who “they” are. Use more direct links and name the council or collection workers where needed to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the complaint, including “garbage removal,” “waste,” “overflows,” and “roadside.” The main issue is that several word choices or combinations are unnatural or imprecise, which limits clarity and flexibility. For example, “request you about the removal of rubbish collection” does not clearly express the request, and “it is affecting our daily waste removal” does not explain the effect on residents. “With maschine” is also an inaccurate expression, and the spelling of “maschine” should be corrected. Aim for precise collocations used in council complaints, such as “missed collections,” “rubbish is piling up,” and “disrupting residents’ daily lives.” This would make the message more natural and specific.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple statements and longer sentences with clauses, for example, “Now, they have stopped taking entire waste with maschine and started taking manually and sometimes they do not come.” This shows an attempt to vary sentence structure, and the main message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors nevertheless affect accuracy. In “Since couple of days,” the time expression needs an article and a more suitable tense; “we have been facing this issue for the past couple of days” is clearer. “They were used to collect” does not form the intended past habit correctly, and “my neighbours were also dissatisfied” should use a present form if describing their current view. Review articles, tense consistency, and sentence boundaries, especially in the long sentence describing collection changes.

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

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