Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-16

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 THIS MESSAGE FINDS YOU WELL IN YOUR HEALTH

MY CONCERN IS ABOUT RUBBISH COLLECTION TEAM IN OUR AREA THAT ITS NOT ACTIVE FOR ALMOST A MONTH AGO.

ITS A SERIOUS DISTURBANCE FOR US AS IT CAUSES BAD ODOUR, WHICH DIRECTLY EFFECTS OUR WORKING ENVIRONMENT MY NEIGHBOURS ARE ALSO FACING THAT PROBLEM

I JUST WANT TO SUGGEST THAT PLEASE ARRANGE A TEAM FOR THIS SOLUTION SO THAT WE CAN EASILY DONE OUR DAILY ROUTEIN WORK BECAUSE ITS A PROBLEMATIC FOR NOT OUR'S BUT ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY IF THIS PROBLEMS REMIANS THIS WILL CAUSE SERIOUS ISSUES IN OUR HEALTH. RECENTHLY I HEARD DIFFERENT NEWS ABOUT DEATH CAUSED BY POLLUTIONS AND THE DIRECTLY SOURCE OF THIS POLLUTIONS IS THIS TYPE OF RUBBISH. IF ANYTHING WILL NOT DONE THIS WILL CREATES SERIOUS ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER MY APPLICATION AND SUGGEST THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THIS

THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR CONSIDERATION.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three required points: you report that the collection team has not been active for nearly a month, describe the bad odour and effects on residents, and ask the council to arrange a team. The health concern and impact on the community are relevant, and the purpose of the letter is clear. However, some points are less fully developed than others. For example, the effect on your working environment is mentioned but not explained with a specific example, and the proposed solution is quite general; you could request a collection schedule or an urgent clean-up. The formal purpose is appropriate, but a more precise description of what has gone wrong would make the request more effective.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly sensible order: it introduces the collection problem, explains its effects, proposes action, and closes politely. This gives the reader an overall sense of the message. However, most of the content is presented in one long block, and the extended sentence beginning “I just want to suggest” combines the request, daily routine, health risks, and pollution news. As a result, the progression becomes difficult to follow. Some links, such as “because” and “if,” are used, but the relationships between ideas are not always clear. Separate the letter into short paragraphs and use one main idea per sentence to make the organisation easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “rubbish collection,” “bad odour,” “community,” and “health,” so the reader can identify the issue. There are also attempts to express seriousness through phrases such as “serious disturbance” and “serious issues.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the message harder to understand. For instance, “team … is not active” is less natural than “the collection service has not been operating,” while “daily routein work” does not clearly express your intended meaning. Spelling errors such as “remians,” “recenthly,” and “pollutions” also reduce clarity. Aim for precise, natural phrases and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences with clauses, including “if this problem remains, this will cause serious issues.” This shows an effort to connect ideas, but control is inconsistent, especially in the longer sentence structures. Examples include “its not active for almost a month ago,” “so that we can easily done,” and “if anything will not done”; these have problems with tense, verb form, and sentence construction. Agreement and sentence boundaries also need attention in “this will creates serious issue.” Use straightforward sentence patterns accurately before combining ideas, and check that each sentence has a clear subject and correctly formed verb. More reliable control would make your meaning easier to follow.

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

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