Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-11

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 am writing this letter to bring your attension to our local area regarding malfunctioning of garbage collection.It has been noticed that the garbage collectors have not made their appearence for over two weeks at our site.They normally came twice a week to collect rubbish.As a result garbage is accumulating on the roadside and causing foul smell,mosquito breeding and unhygenic atmosphere. Therefore i am requesting on behalf of neighbours and myself to kindly look into matter and ensure regular garbage collection and proper cleaniness. Looking forward for a prompt response from your side. Yours faithfully,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main problem clearly: collectors have not visited for over two weeks, although they usually came twice weekly. You also explain consequences—rubbish accumulating, foul smells, mosquito breeding and an unhygienic environment—and request more regular collection and cleaning. However, the task is only partially addressed because the effects on you and your neighbours are not explained in much detail, and the proposed action is very general. The response also contains 99 words, so it does not meet the required minimum of 150. Develop the impact with specific examples, such as difficulty using the roadside or concerns about children’s health, and make practical requests, such as an immediate collection and a reliable schedule.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter follows a generally logical order: it states the purpose, describes the missed collections, gives consequences, and ends with a request and sign-off. Linking phrases such as “As a result” and “Therefore” help show the relationship between the problem and your request. This gives the response a coherent overall arrangement. However, the ideas are compressed into one long block, so the progression is less clear than it could be, and the transition into the request feels abrupt. Use separate paragraphs for the problem and its effects, then the requested action. A clearer closing sentence and more explicit links between the effects on residents and your proposed solution would make cohesion more flexible and less dependent on a few formulaic connectors.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “garbage collection,” “accumulating,” “foul smell,” and “mosquito breeding.” These choices make the central problem understandable, and “malfunctioning” shows an attempt to use more formal language. Some spelling and word-choice errors reduce accuracy, including “attension,” “appearence,” “unhygenic,” and “cleaniness.” The phrase “at our site” is also vague for a residential area, while “proper cleaniness” is not a natural collocation. Aim for accurate, conventional expressions such as “in our neighbourhood,” “unsanitary conditions,” and “regular waste collection.” Proofreading spelling and choosing natural collocations would make your vocabulary more precise and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

Your response includes both simple statements and a more developed sentence beginning “As a result,” and the main message remains clear. The sentence “They normally came twice a week to collect rubbish” is a straightforward, effective example of past-tense reporting. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain, however. In “I am writing this letter to bring your attention to our local area regarding malfunctioning of garbage collection,” the phrasing and article use make the sentence awkward; “the malfunctioning of the garbage collection service in our area” would be clearer. The request “look into matter” needs an article (“the matter”), and “Therefore i” requires a capital “I.” Add spaces after punctuation and vary sentence structures while checking articles and sentence boundaries.

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