Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-23

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 to complain rubbish collection system in my poor local area.The Situation is causing problems for me and my neighbours.

First of all, the rubbish collection service is not properly.The rubbish is not collected properly,and dustbin are often full.As a result,rubbish is spreading across the street and creating an unpleasent smell.Moreover,some people throw their waste on the roads because there is no space in the dustbins.

This situations is affecting the daily lives on local residents.The bad smell makes it difficult to walk outside,and the dirty streets attract flies and other insects.Furthermore,people are worried about their health,easpecially children and elderly people.Our neioughbourhood is becoming dirty and uncomfortable.

I would like to suggest some solutions to this problem.First, the local counsil should arrange rubbish collection on a regular basis.Secondly, more dutbins should be installed in public places.

I hope you will take immediate action to solve this problem and make our neighbourhood clean and healthy.

Yours faithfully,

A local resident

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points in the prompt: you describe missed collections and overflowing bins, explain the effects on residents’ comfort and health, and suggest more regular collection and additional bins. The purpose and formal tone are clear, and the closing request for immediate action is appropriate. The description of the collection problem is relevant, but it would be stronger with a specific detail, such as how long collections have been missed or how often bins overflow. Your proposed solutions are sensible but brief; explaining how frequently collection should occur or where extra bins are needed would develop them further. Overall, the task is covered, though some ideas are less fully explained than others.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall structure: an opening complaint, paragraphs describing the problem and its effects, a paragraph of proposed solutions, and a suitable closing. Sequencing phrases such as “First of all,” “Moreover,” and “Furthermore” help show how the points relate, and the reader can follow the progression. However, these links are somewhat mechanical, and the repeated use of “First” and “Secondly” makes the suggestions feel like a list rather than a developed request. Some connections could be made more naturally—for example, link the overflowing bins directly to the health concerns. Clearer paragraph transitions and more varied referencing would make the cohesion more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the complaint, including “rubbish collection,” “dustbins,” “flies,” and “immediate action.” There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “regular basis” and “public places.” However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “unpleasent,” “easpecially,” “neioughbourhood,” “counsil,” and “dutbins.” Some phrasing is also unnatural, such as “complain rubbish collection system” and “the rubbish is not collected properly.” These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main message, but careful proofreading and more natural collocations would strengthen the vocabulary control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple sentences and some longer structures, including cause-and-effect sentences with “As a result” and “because,” as well as a relative clause in “people are worried about their health, especially children and elderly people.” The message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “I am writing to complain rubbish collection system” needs a grammatical pattern such as “complain about the rubbish collection system,” while “dustbin are often full” needs plural agreement. “This situations is affecting” also has a mismatch between the demonstrative and noun, and “daily lives on local residents” uses the wrong preposition. More accurate articles, agreement, and sentence patterns would improve control.

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