Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-27

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 draw your attention to an important matter regarding the poor waste disposal management in our community.

Recently, I have noticed that the waste management company of our local area is not taking care of disposing the rubbish properly. They are not collecting the garbage daily due to which the rubbish keeps pilling up. Moreover, the dustbins are not properly labelled which causes confusion among the residents where to throw the garbage.

In the view of these circumstances, foul smell is prevailing all over the community. Different diseases like cholera, whooping cough and malaria are spreading at an exponential rate. Children are mostly affected due to which their are not being able to go to school.

I would like requesting to arrange a proper waste disposal management team to take care of these problems. Dustbins should be properly labelled to differentiate between recycle and non-recycle materials. Weekly monitoring should be done to avoid this problem in the future.

I look forward to your prompt response regarding this matter.

Kind regards,

Arzoo

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter addresses all three required points clearly: it describes missed collections and unclear bin labels, explains the resulting smell and health concerns, and proposes a dedicated team, clearer labels, and monitoring. The reader can readily understand the problem and the action requested. The effects on residents are relevant, though the claims about diseases spreading and children being unable to attend school are stated broadly rather than supported with specific examples; developing these consequences more carefully would make the account more persuasive. The request is also clear, but could specify a practical response, such as a collection schedule or an inspection of the service. Overall, the task is covered well, with only limited scope to make the supporting details more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The letter follows a clear progression from the purpose, to the collection and bin-label problems, to their effects, and finally to proposed solutions. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and linking phrases such as “Moreover” and “In the view of these circumstances” help connect the points. The closing is appropriate for a formal letter. Some connections are less smooth: “In the view of these circumstances” is an awkward transition, and the move from the smell to several diseases and school absence is abrupt. The reference in “due to which their are not being able to go to school” is also unclear. More direct transitions and clearer links between each problem and its consequence would make the progression more effortless.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The response uses an adequate range for a formal complaint, including topic-specific terms such as “waste disposal management,” “dustbins,” and “monitoring.” The tone is generally suitable, and the reader can understand the intended meaning throughout. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural choices and collocations: “pilling up” should be “piling up,” “taking care of disposing” is awkward, and “foul smell is prevailing” is not a natural way to describe the effect. “Exponential rate” also sounds overly technical and imprecise in this context. These choices show attempts at more formal vocabulary, but greater control of natural phrasing and spelling is needed to demonstrate the flexibility associated with a stronger performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The letter includes both simple statements and more developed sentences, for example, “They are not collecting the garbage daily due to which the rubbish keeps pilling up.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors prevent the writing from showing stronger control. In “I would like requesting,” the verb pattern should be “I would like to request.” The clause “their are not being able to go to school” has an incorrect subject form and verb construction; “they are unable to go to school” would be clearer. The sentence beginning “Different diseases…” also needs a clearer grammatical link to the preceding point. Practise accurate verb patterns, pronoun forms, and clause connections while retaining the range of sentence structures already attempted.

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