Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-03

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 5.5)

Dear Landlord,

I am writing to tell you about a problem with the parking a lot behind our building. When I return home from work at night, I often cannot find an empty space to park my car. I get upset seeing this situation, because I am already come home from work tired. Outsiders or people who do not live here are using our spots.

This bothers me a lot. I waste a time looking for a spot. I have to park far away on the street. Which is not convenient for me. One day I parked my car far away from my house and in the morning I saw that the care was damaged in two sides. So, this is unsafe for my car, and I worry about damage or theft.

To solve this, please put up signs that say parking is only for residents. You can also give each tenant a parking sticker or permit for their car.I hope you fill find a solution to this problem very soon.

Thank you,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly describe the parking situation, explain the negative impact on your daily life, and provide two practical solutions (signs and permits). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the problem and the solution is even more explicitly linked to the landlord's responsibility.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is logically organized into three distinct paragraphs, each focusing on one of the required points. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the problem to the consequences and finally to the suggested solutions. You use some cohesive devices like 'So' and 'To solve this', though the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition'). Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different aspects of the request.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly, such as 'convenient', 'damaged', and 'tenants'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'waste a time' (should be 'waste time') and 'care was damaged' (should be 'car'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more specific terms related to property management would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'I am already come home' (should be 'I have already come home') and 'Which is not convenient' (a sentence fragment). Additionally, there is a minor punctuation error in the final paragraph ('fill find' instead of 'will find'). Despite these errors, the grammar is generally functional and does not prevent the reader from understanding your concerns.

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