Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-17

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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about the service of garbage collection system in my residential area.

I and my neighbours are quite dissatisfied with the collection of rubbish in our local area, as the collecting trucks are not as much frequent as they should be. The rubbish is collected only once in a month due to that garbage bins are always full with discarded items, and people have to pile up their garbage outside their property which stinks a lot.

Many people of my neighbourhood, especially children and elders have to face some health related issues because of these garbage heaps, including skin infection and asthma. This issue is not only affecting people in my surroundings but also responsible for creating some environmental challenges such as water contamination, and soil pollution.

It would be really appreciated if you could take necessary actions to adress this problem urgently. if you make the garbage collection frequently like twice in a week, it would definitely assist to solve this issue from the root. You can also provide more bins to people so that they can put their garbage at proper designated places.

I hope you will consider this matter immediately, and take the required measures.

Yours faithfully,

Harpreet Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter covers all three requested points clearly: it explains that collection happens only once a month, describes overflowing bins and rubbish left outside homes, and outlines effects on residents and the environment. The proposed remedies—more frequent collection and additional bins—are relevant and practical. The opening establishes the purpose, and the closing maintains an appropriate formal tone. The effects are developed with specific examples, including health problems for children and older residents, as well as water and soil pollution. To make the response even more complete, specify how long the problem has been occurring or request a particular follow-up, such as an inspection or confirmation of the council’s planned action. Overall, the purpose and all parts of the task are addressed effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The information follows a clear progression: complaint, description of the collection failure, consequences, suggested solutions, and a closing request. Separate paragraphs help the reader distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “because of” and “not only…but also” make relationships between ideas clear. The sequence is easy to follow throughout. Some connections are less smooth where several effects are added in one sentence, and the transition from describing environmental harm to requesting action could be more deliberate. For stronger cohesion, use a concise link such as “To address these health and environmental risks” before the recommendations, and avoid relying repeatedly on “this issue” to refer back to the problem.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The response uses an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal complaint, including “discarded items,” “health related issues,” “water contamination,” and “soil pollution.” These choices communicate the problem and its consequences clearly, and the writer attempts some less common terms. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “the service of garbage collection system,” “not as much frequent,” and “solve this issue from the root.” There are also spelling and form errors in “adress” and “frequently” where the intended adjective is needed. These do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Aim for established collocations such as “waste collection service,” “collection is too infrequent,” and “address the problem at its source.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

There is a useful mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including the cause-and-effect construction “as the collecting trucks are not as much frequent as they should be” and the conditional suggestion beginning “if you make the garbage collection frequently.” Most ideas remain understandable, and the response uses paragraphing and sentence boundaries effectively. Some grammatical errors remain, however: “I and my neighbours” has awkward subject order, “The rubbish is collected only once in a month” has an incorrect article pattern, and the conditional sentence needs a more suitable adjective and structure. The lowercase “if” after a full stop is also a punctuation and capitalization error. Review articles, comparative phrasing, and conditional sentence forms to make the writing more consistently accurate.

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

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