Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-14

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 6.5)

Dear Landlord,

I am writing to bring an urgent maintenance issue to your attention regarding my apartment. Over the past two weeks, a persistent water leak has developed in the ceiling of the primary bathroom, originating from the unit directly above mine.This situation is deeply concerning and disruptive to my daily life for several reasons:

Property Damage: The water is slowly staining the drywall and pooling on the bathroom floor, which risks causing structural damage and warping the flooring if left unaddressed.

Health and Safety Hazards: The constant moisture creates a high risk for black mold growth, which poses a serious respiratory risk. Additionally, the wet floor creates a slipping hazard every time I use the bathroom.Loss of Quiet Enjoyment: The continuous dripping sound is loud, particularly at night, and makes it difficult to sleep or relax in my home.

To resolve this issue permanently, I suggest that you coordinate with a licensed plumber to inspect both my bathroom and the unit above mine immediately. Identifying the source of the leak and repairing the broken pipe or sealing the fixtures will prevent any further damage and restore a safe living environment.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you soon regarding when maintenance will arrive.

Sincerely,

Alfina.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 2.0

The response fails to address the task requirements. The prompt explicitly asks for a letter regarding a parking space issue in an apartment building. However, the student has written a letter about a water leak in a bathroom. While the letter is well-structured and follows the format of a formal complaint, it is entirely off-topic regarding the specific content requested in the prompt. Consequently, the response cannot be assessed as having addressed the task requirements, as the core subject matter is completely different from the instructions provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs using bullet points for clarity, and a professional closing. The progression of ideas is logical, and cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'To resolve this issue' are used effectively to link the arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the description of the problem from the proposed solution. Despite the content being off-topic, the structural integrity of the writing is high, demonstrating a clear ability to organize a formal letter effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

The vocabulary is sophisticated and well-suited for a formal complaint. The student uses precise terminology such as 'persistent water leak', 'structural damage', 'respiratory risk', and 'quiet enjoyment'. The collocations are natural and demonstrate a high level of lexical control. There are no spelling errors, and the choice of words contributes to a professional and serious tone throughout the letter. The range of vocabulary is wide and used with flexibility, which is characteristic of a high-level response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The grammar is excellent, with a wide range of complex sentence structures used accurately. The student demonstrates control over various grammatical forms, including conditional structures and participial phrases, such as 'identifying the source of the leak... will prevent any further damage'. Punctuation is used correctly to enhance clarity, and there are virtually no grammatical errors. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the overall control of syntax is highly impressive, meeting the criteria for a high band score in this category.

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.