Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-31

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,

Reason for this letter is to complain about waste collection system in our town. The company who is responsible for collection of rubbish every week is not collecting the waste from the bins properly. There is enough waste leftover in the bins which are almost quater of the bins and they are repeating this habbit from last some months.

Not collecting garbage properly is one of the bigest issues for all the residents in our town which is causing problems for everyone. Some of the problems are that this leftover waste causes foul smell in the society which is very harmful for the people living around. Its is hard to manage the waste for the next week if the previous week waste was not collected properly. Therefore, due to which alot of local homes are disposing their garbage in free spaces arround. This is creating a whole mess and smell everywhere.

You need to look into this matter as soon as possilbe. According to my suggestions, proper training should provide to the staff of waste collection company so they can able to pickup garbage properly. Weekly washing and collection of waste from town streets can definetly promote the cleanliness of the whole area.

I look forward to seeing your arrangments on this issue and everyone in the neighbours including me love to provide any assistance you need.

Your sincerely,

Muhammad Atiq Zahir

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three required points and maintains a clear, appropriate complaint throughout. You explain that the weekly collection leaves waste in the bins, describe the resulting smell and the disposal of rubbish in open spaces, and suggest staff training and regular street cleaning. These details make the problem and its effects clear. To strengthen the response further, develop the proposed action more precisely: for example, request that the council inspect the service, ensure every bin is emptied, or provide a timetable for resolving the issue. The suggestion of “weekly washing” is relevant but could be explained more clearly. Overall, the task is covered with relevant support, though some proposals remain general.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall progression: it introduces the complaint, explains its effects, and then offers solutions. Separate paragraphs help the reader follow these stages, and linking expressions such as “Therefore” and “According to my suggestions” signal relationships between ideas. The sequence within the second paragraph is also understandable, moving from leftover waste to odour and then to dumping in open spaces. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear, particularly “Therefore, due to which,” which combines two linking forms, and “Its is hard to manage” does not clearly identify who is managing the waste. The closing also shifts abruptly to offering assistance. More precise referencing and smoother transitions would make the cohesion more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the complaint, including “waste collection,” “leftover waste,” “foul smell,” and “disposing their garbage in free spaces.” There are also attempts at more formal language, such as “responsible for” and “look into this matter.” However, spelling errors are noticeable, including “quater,” “habbit,” “bigest,” “arround,” and “arrangments,” and some expressions are awkward or imprecise. For instance, “free spaces” is not the natural phrase for places where rubbish is dumped, and “biggest issues” is less precise than a more formal description of the problem. Improving spelling and choosing more natural collocations would make the message clearer and more professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response attempts a mix of sentence forms, including longer cause-and-effect sentences such as “This is creating a whole mess and smell everywhere” and a conditional clause beginning “if the previous week waste was not collected properly.” The main message remains understandable, but grammatical control is inconsistent, especially in longer constructions. Examples include the fragment-like opening “Reason for this letter is,” the faulty structure “Therefore, due to which,” and “proper training should provide,” where the passive verb form is incomplete. There are also errors in agreement and sentence construction in “the company who is responsible” and “so they can able to pickup.” Aim to build complex sentences with complete clauses and check articles, verb forms, and agreement.

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

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