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)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this email on behalf of the community regarding the problems caused by local garbage collection in our area.

Considering the situation, the collection teams come once a week and only collect one bag per house, leaving the rest. This process gives people a hard time managing other bags until next week.

The neighbours are trying to manage this issue by making less garbage, but the leftover garbage for a week creates a mess in the surroundings, and the smell stinks in the houses. Moreover, keeping that rubbish outside overnight is also a problem, as small animals try to eat from it and make a mess on the driveway.

In terms of community expectations, the local council should start collecting garbage 3 times a week. Additionally, they can even pick up multiple stacks in one round to make it easier.

Thank you for taking the time to review our complaint and work on it. Hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Meet Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three requirements: it explains that collectors come weekly and take only one bag, describes the effects on residents, and proposes more frequent collection and larger pickups. The complaint is clear and relevant, with useful supporting details such as rubbish remaining outside and animals scattering it. The impact on neighbours is also conveyed through the smell and difficulty managing the waste. To strengthen the response further, develop the proposed solution more precisely—for example, clarify whether the council should collect all bags on each visit or provide additional bins—and make the request more direct. Overall, the purpose and position remain clear throughout, and the main ideas are extended with relevant examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear progression: the opening states the purpose, the next paragraph describes the collection failure, the following paragraph explains its effects, and the final body paragraph offers solutions. This organisation makes the complaint easy to follow. Linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “Additionally” help connect related points, while paragraphing separates the main functions of the letter. Some transitions are slightly formulaic, particularly “Considering the situation” and “In terms of community expectations,” and the connection between the proposed collection frequency and the problem could be made more explicit. A more direct sequence of explanation and request would make cohesion feel more natural, but the overall progression is logical and clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for explaining the complaint, and phrases such as “collection teams,” “leftover garbage,” “surroundings,” and “small animals” communicate the situation clearly. There are also attempts at more formal wording, including “on behalf of the community” and “review our complaint.” However, some choices are imprecise or unnatural: “the smell stinks” is repetitive, “make less garbage” is less natural than a phrase about reducing waste, and “multiple stacks” does not clearly describe the bags left behind. “This process gives people a hard time” is understandable but informal for a council letter. More precise collocations and a consistently formal register would improve flexibility and accuracy while preserving the clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The letter uses a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the subordinate clause in “as small animals try to eat from it” and the participial phrase “leaving the rest.” Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and punctuation generally supports the organisation. Some grammatical choices are less controlled: “Hope to hear from you soon” omits the subject, and “the smell stinks in the houses” has an awkward construction. The sentence beginning “Considering the situation” also uses an introductory phrase that does not connect smoothly to the main clause. These issues do not prevent understanding, but a more consistently complete and carefully structured range of sentences would demonstrate stronger control.

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