Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-25

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 or Madam,

I hope this message finds you in good health. I am writing to complain about garbage collection system which is being failed in our city, Lahore. Saaf suthra Punjab teams are not working sufficiently so that garbage can be seen in every corner of the city. Moreover, rubbish is not collected by them since the last two months which is spreading pollution and bad smell across the city.

In addition to this, people have been suffering from different respiratory diseases, and the polluted environment is the principal reason behind it. It is not only affecting the people but animals are also being affected. Although we loved a tidy environment for our children , our neighbours are getting sick due to this rubbish which is present in front of our house. We have a adjacent flat.

However, I am formally requesting you to start a cleanliness operation in the city at the earliest convenience so that any outbreak of disease would be prevented.

I truly believe that you would take concrete steps to clean the city as soon as possible.I look forward to hearing from you soon .

Yours sincerely,

Ali Raza

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three requirements: it describes missed collections and rubbish accumulating around the city, explains effects on residents and animals, and asks the council to act. The specific detail that rubbish has not been collected for two months helps make the complaint clear, while the references to respiratory illness and waste outside your home support the impact. Your request for a cleanliness operation is relevant, but the proposed solution is not fully developed: specify practical steps such as restoring a regular collection schedule, adding bins, or arranging an immediate clean-up. The point about the adjacent flat is also unclear and could be explained in relation to your neighbours. Overall, the purpose and position remain clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall progression: the opening explains the collection failure, the next paragraph describes its effects, and the final paragraph makes a request. Paragraphing supports the reader, and linking phrases such as “Moreover” and “In addition to this” help connect related points. This meets the lower-band expectation of coherent overall arrangement. To show more of the next level, make the connections between ideas more precise and avoid transitions that do not express the relationship clearly. For example, “However” introduces your request even though no contrast has been established. The sentence “We have a adjacent flat” also interrupts the discussion because its relevance is not explained; connect it directly to the neighbours’ experience or remove it.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal complaint, including “respiratory diseases,” “polluted environment,” “outbreak of disease,” and “concrete steps.” These choices communicate the seriousness of the problem, and the meaning is generally clear. There are, however, some inaccurate or unnatural word combinations that limit precision: “garbage collection system … being failed” and “start a cleanliness operation” do not sound natural in this context. “Principal reason behind it” is also stronger than the evidence in the letter supports. Aim for more conventional council-related phrasing, such as describing the service as unreliable, requesting an urgent clean-up, and referring to a regular collection schedule. This would make the complaint sound more fluent and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The letter attempts a mix of simple and complex structures, including a relative clause in “rubbish … which is spreading pollution” and a purpose clause beginning “so that.” The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur and occasionally make sentences awkward. For example, “which is being failed” uses an incorrect verb form, and “Although we loved a tidy environment” has an unsuitable tense and does not complete the contrast clearly. There are also article and agreement problems in “a adjacent flat” and “garbage collection system.” Review verb forms, articles, and sentence construction, and proofread punctuation and spacing. More consistently accurate sentences, alongside the complex structures you attempt, would strengthen control.

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

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