Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-09

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)

I am writing to inform you that the system which is being used for collecting waste material in Beeton is not beneficial. I see that around the area, 5 % of the garbage remains there every time, which makes the place inappropriate to walk around, and its neighbours are complaining because this place is behind their house and always smells bad.

I would like to give two suggestions to solve this problem: first, the council should check monthly that everything is being done in the system and whether their workers are doing their work properly or not; and second, garbage bins should be replaced with closed lids rather than leaving them in open places, which is harmful for birds and animals, as well as plastic bags not being safe for them. I hope you will take action as soon as possible to solve our society's issue.

I shall be thankful for this.

Dimple

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three requested points: you report that some rubbish is left behind, describe the unpleasant smell and neighbours’ complaints, and propose monthly checks and lidded bins. The purpose is clear and the tone is suitably formal. The response also shows some development beyond simply listing the problems, particularly by explaining that exposed rubbish can harm animals. However, the description of the collection failure is vague: “5 % of the garbage remains there every time” does not clarify how often collections occur or what is being missed. The effects on you personally are also less developed than those on neighbours. Specify the practical consequences and give clearer details about the collection pattern to make the account more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall progression from the problem to its effects and then to proposed solutions. The phrase “I would like to give two suggestions” signals the next section effectively, and “first” and “second” make the recommendations easy to follow. The closing is also appropriate. Some connections are less smooth, however: the opening paragraph combines the leftover rubbish, walking conditions, neighbours’ complaints and the smell in one long sentence, making the relationships between these points harder to follow. The second paragraph also packs several ideas into a single sentence. Separate the problem, its effects and each recommendation into clearer units, and use references such as “this situation” only when their meaning is unmistakable.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a formal complaint, including “collecting waste material,” “suggestions,” “closed lids” and “take action.” These choices make the topic and purpose clear, and the reader can understand the main points. Some expressions are imprecise or unnatural, though. “Not beneficial” is vague for a collection service that is failing, while “makes the place inappropriate to walk around” does not express the problem naturally. “This place” is also unclear when referring to the area around the bins. Choose more precise collocations for missed collections, unpleasant conditions and the affected neighbourhood. This would improve clarity and show more controlled use of vocabulary without changing the letter’s straightforward tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a relative clause in “the system which is being used” and a longer sentence explaining the effects of the rubbish. The main message remains understandable, and the recommendations are presented in a recognisable structure. Some grammatical control is still uneven. In “its neighbours are complaining because this place is behind their house,” the pronoun reference and singular “house” do not clearly match the plural neighbours. The construction “whether their workers are doing their work properly or not” is also cumbersome, and the final clause beginning “as well as plastic bags not being safe” is not smoothly integrated into the sentence. Use shorter, complete clauses and check pronoun reference, agreement and parallel structure.

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