Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-20
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 Sir,
It is stated that i have been living in your building for 8 months and many times when I came back from my work to home, I could not find empty parking areas or slots to park my car and eventually I have to look for parking areas far away from my building.
This situation makes me more exhausted as after long working hours at a cooperate job and then finding parking. Parking car away from my residential building always keeps me in worry for my car and always I have to pay for parking in other areas. If I parked in no parking area, I should get fined.
As a landlord, I would like to request you to provide free parking areas or slots for residents of building so that the residents will not face situations like me or they will be worrying for free parking.
Yours sincerely,
Katherine.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The letter covers all three bullet points: the situation is described, the impact is explained, and a suggestion is made. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, the suggestion to 'provide free parking' is a bit simplistic and lacks detail regarding how this could be implemented (e.g., assigning spots or issuing permits). The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord, although the opening 'It is stated that' is unnatural and slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your ideas with more specific details or examples to demonstrate a more thorough response to the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into three distinct paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For instance, the phrase 'and always' is used twice in the second paragraph, and the transition between sentences could be smoother. While the overall progression of ideas is logical, the connection between the problem and the proposed solution could be more effectively linked using a wider variety of linking words or phrases. The paragraphing is sufficient, but the flow between sentences occasionally feels disjointed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly, such as 'exhausted', 'residential building', and 'cooperate job' (though this is a spelling error for 'corporate'). There are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'It is stated that' (which is not appropriate for a personal letter) and 'worrying for free parking'. The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on more natural collocations and ensuring correct spelling will help improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'when I came back... I could not find' (tense inconsistency), 'cooperate job' (spelling), and 'If I parked in no parking area, I should get fined' (incorrect conditional usage). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, they are frequent enough to impact the overall accuracy. To improve, focus on consistent verb tenses and the correct use of conditional sentences, as well as proofreading for minor spelling and punctuation slips.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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