Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-11-03
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,
I hope you are doing well. I am writing to bring your attention towards the garbage collection process. We terribly dissatisfied the way of their working and treating people.
Firstly, I wanted to highlight that are not knocking door due to which sometimes we miss of put our kitchen waste. Although, they are not following the schedule timetables from past one month. Under manual, time and days are clearly mentioned. However, such things are not being following by rubbish collectors. In addition to this, while talking with one of the member about this concern the person particularly name "Sahid" become rude and show disregard to our elderly neighbour.
Due to above-mentioned reasons the outside waste sometimes contaminated with rain water and cause bad smell and polloution which then impacted on people health and also shows a bad impression to outsiders. Moreover, it would be life threatening for our elderly people who already dealing with health issues.
I would really appreciate it if you could arrange a meeting with the garbage collection team and brief them about the carelessness observed in their work. Please instruct them to carry out their duties more responsibly, follow the designated timings strictly, and ensure that garbage is collected properly and on time.
Yours sincerely,
Aashima Mahajan
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
The letter addresses all three required points and maintains a clear, appropriately formal purpose: you describe missed collections and failure to follow the timetable, explain the resulting smell, pollution and risks to neighbours, and request a meeting and clearer instructions for the team. The specific example of a collector behaving rudely towards an elderly neighbour helps support your complaint. Your proposed actions are relevant, although they focus mainly on staff conduct and punctuality; you could make the remedy more complete by asking the council to investigate missed collections, provide a reliable schedule, or arrange extra collection where waste has accumulated. Overall, the main ideas are extended and supported, though a few effects and solutions could be developed more precisely.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
The information follows a clear progression: you introduce the complaint, describe collection failures, explain their effects, and finish with requests for action. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and signposts such as “Firstly,” “In addition to this,” and “Moreover” help the reader follow the points. The closing request also connects logically to the problems described. Some linking is a little mechanical, however, and phrases such as “Due to above-mentioned reasons” refer broadly to several earlier points rather than identifying the specific cause of each effect. For a more polished flow, use clearer references and vary transitions, while keeping each paragraph focused on one stage of the complaint.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use a suitable range of complaint-related vocabulary, including “designated timings,” “carelessness,” “contaminated,” and “life threatening,” which helps communicate the seriousness of the issue. There are also several inaccurate or unnatural choices that reduce precision, such as “bring your attention towards,” “miss of put,” and “shows a bad impression.” Spelling errors in “polloution” and “timetables” also affect accuracy. Some expressions are understandable but not idiomatic, including “the way of their working” and “brief them about the carelessness observed in their work.” Aim to learn common formal collocations for complaints and environmental effects, and check spelling and word forms carefully before submitting.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which then impacted on people health” and a conditional request beginning “I would really appreciate it if…”. However, some grammatical errors recur and occasionally make sentences difficult to process. For example, “We terribly dissatisfied” needs a verb, while “I wanted to highlight that are not knocking door” lacks a clear subject and has problems with articles and number. Tense and agreement are also inconsistent in “the person … become rude and show disregard” and “waste … cause bad smell.” Practise building complete clauses with clear subjects, consistent verb forms, and accurate articles; this will make your otherwise clear message more controlled.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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