Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · 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 4.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

The system used for rubbish/garbage collection in my area is not working properly. This is causing problems for me and my neighbours and i would like to request you to please take action on this matter as soon as possible because i m facing this problem everyday and it is causing daily life routine like if i want to go on work and take this garbage with me and if this garbage collection happens on time it will be very helpful for me as well as for my neighbours. moreover my neighnours also facing lots of problems just because of this garbage problem. In addition, this service casuing harm our children because this garbage not collecting on daily basis and all the mess moreover dirt is gethering around our area. we will be very thankful if you sort out this problem as soon as possible.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the general problem—collections are not happening regularly—and mention effects on neighbours and children, so the letter is relevant to the task. However, the collection failure is not described precisely: for example, you do not say how often rubbish is missed or how long it is left outside. The effects and proposed solution are also under-developed. “Take this garbage with me” does not clearly explain the impact, and the only request is to “sort out this problem,” without a specific action such as a reliable collection schedule or extra pickups. The response contains 132 words, below the required 150; the 18 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. Add specific details and a clear, practical request to address all three bullet points fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The letter begins appropriately and its ideas broadly follow a sensible order: you introduce the collection problem, describe its effects, and ask the council to act. Linking expressions such as “moreover” and “In addition” show an attempt to connect points. However, nearly the whole letter is one long paragraph and several ideas are joined into an extended sentence, making the progression difficult to follow. The repeated references to “this problem” and “this garbage” are also vague, while “moreover” is used to add points that could be organised more clearly. Separate the letter into short paragraphs and use clear sentence boundaries: one paragraph for the collection failure, one for its effects, and a final paragraph for specific action requested.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use basic vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “rubbish/garbage collection,” “neighbours,” “children,” and “dirt,” so the main subject is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several phrases are inaccurate or awkward, which makes some details unclear. For example, “daily life routine” does not naturally express the disruption, and “this service casuing harm our children” is difficult to interpret. There are also spelling errors such as “neighnours,” “casuing,” and “gethering,” alongside repeated use of “problem” and “garbage.” Build a more precise set of topic phrases, such as “missed collections,” “rubbish piling up,” and “unpleasant and unhygienic conditions,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts to combine ideas using clauses, for example in “because i m facing this problem everyday,” but the range of sentence structures is limited and the long sentences are often faulty. Errors include missing or incorrect verb forms in “my neighnours also facing” and “this garbage not collecting,” as well as the unclear construction “if i want to go on work and take this garbage with me.” Capitalisation and punctuation also need attention: “i” should be “I,” and the opening sentence after the greeting should not run on through several separate ideas. Use shorter, complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and practise accurate forms such as “my neighbours are also facing” and “the rubbish is not collected regularly.”

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.