Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-25

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You live in a small apartment building with a parking lot in back, and you often cannot find an empty parking space when you get home from work.

Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter
• describe the situation.
• explain why it bothers you.
• suggest something the landlord could do to solve the problem.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ____

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Mr.Singh,

My name is Rimpaljeet Kaur, I am living in your apartment for one year. I am writing to express my concern about the lack of available parking spaces in the parking lot behind our apartment building.

I have been living in this building for over a year, and recently it has become increasingly difficult to find an empty parking space when I return home from work. I usually arrive around 6:30 p.m., but by that time all the parking spots are already occupied. As a result, I often have to park my car several blocks away from the building.

This situation is very inconvenient and frustrating. After a long day at work, I have to spend extra time searching for a parking space and then walk a considerable distance to my apartment, sometimes carrying groceries or other heavy items. I also worry about the safety of my car when it is parked on the street overnight.

I would like to suggest that each apartment be assigned a designated parking space. Alternatively, you could issue parking permits to residents and ensure that only authorized vehicles use the parking lot. This would help prevent non-residents from occupying the limited spaces.

I hope you will consider this matter and take appropriate action as soon as possible. Thank you for your time and attention.

Yours faithfully,

Rimpaljeet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have fully addressed all parts of the task. You clearly described the parking situation, explained the negative impact on your daily routine (e.g., walking long distances with groceries), and provided two practical solutions (assigned spaces and permits). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord, and the purpose is clear from the beginning. The ideas are well-developed and logically presented, meeting all the requirements of the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, and the transition between the problem description and the proposed solutions is smooth. You use cohesive devices such as 'As a result', 'Alternatively', and 'This would help' effectively to link your ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure follows the standard conventions of a formal letter, making the text easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the context. Phrases like 'increasingly difficult', 'inconvenient and frustrating', and 'authorized vehicles' show a solid command of language. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it stays within a relatively standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise or sophisticated collocations, but the current level is more than sufficient to convey your message clearly and professionally without any errors in word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. For example, 'After a long day at work, I have to spend extra time...' shows good control of introductory clauses. There is a minor punctuation error in the opening ('Mr.Singh' should have a space, and 'Rimpaljeet Kaur, I am living' is a comma splice), but these are minor slips that do not impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, reflecting a strong command of English grammar.

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