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 response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly describe the situation regarding the parking lot, explain the negative impact on your daily routine, and provide two logical, actionable suggestions for the landlord. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter, and the purpose is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and supported, meeting all requirements of the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, and the transition between the problem, the impact, and the proposed solutions is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Alternatively', and 'On several occasions' to link your sentences and paragraphs effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the message.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal complaint. Phrases like 'ongoing problem', 'inconvenient and stressful', and 'unauthorized vehicles' are used accurately and naturally. The language is precise and fits the context of the letter well. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is varied enough to convey your points clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The grammar is highly accurate throughout the letter. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively, such as the conditional 'if it is parked away' and the use of participial phrases. Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no errors that impede communication. The control over sentence structure is strong, and the writing is fluent and error-free for the most part.

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