Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-31

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 8.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to inform you about an ongoing problem with the parking lot behind our apartment building. As a resident of this building, I often return home from work in the evening and find that there are no available parking spaces.

This situation is quite frustrating because I have to spend a considerable amount of time searching for a place to park my car. On several occasions, I have been forced to park on nearby streets, which are often far from the building. After a long day at work, this is both inconvenient and stressful. In addition, I am concerned about the safety of my vehicle when it is parked away from the apartment complex.

I would like to suggest that you consider introducing assigned parking spaces for residents. Alternatively, you could issue parking permits to residents and monitor the parking lot more closely to prevent unauthorized vehicles from using it. I believe these measures would help solve the problem and make parking more convenient for everyone.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Ayushi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly describe the parking situation, explain the negative impact on your daily life, and provide two practical solutions. The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord, and the purpose of the correspondence is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and logical, meeting all the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: the first introduces the issue, the second explains the impact, and the third offers solutions. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Alternatively', and 'On several occasions' effectively to link your thoughts. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall readability of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal complaint. Phrases like 'ongoing problem', 'inconvenient and stressful', and 'unauthorized vehicles' show a solid command of language. The word choice is precise and natural throughout the letter. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band, but it is certainly sufficient for a high-level score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The grammar is highly accurate throughout the response. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures correctly, such as 'I am writing to inform you about...' and 'Alternatively, you could issue parking permits...'. There are no noticeable grammatical errors, and punctuation is used correctly. The control over sentence structure is consistent, and the writing flows smoothly without any errors that might impede communication.

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