Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-22
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 Mr Mark,
I hope you are doing well! I am writing this letter to express my dissatisfaction regarding parking lot. I am living in apartment number 11 and when I signed a lease with you last month you gave me one specific parking space but lady from unit 10 is using that, before I come home everyday her car is parked in my parking space.
Moving further, because of this I am facing lots of problems. yesterday I parked my car on street and I got parking ticket of $50 which is not good at all. Moreover, someone can hit my car as I am parking on street than who will pay the loss.
I want you to taken some action regarding this issue this is something very serious I don’t ave enough money to pay parking tickets everyday. If this issue will not be resolved I have to change apartment. Please make extra parking spaces in order to solve this issue.
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Warm Regards,
Sukhan
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The student describes their situation clearly, noting that another tenant is using their designated parking space and explaining the subsequent problems caused. However, the urgency of the issue could have been articulated more effectively, particularly the consequence of parking fines. The suggested solution of creating extra parking spaces is appropriate but lacks detail on how this could be implemented. Overall, the response meets the task requirements but could focus more on the issues' severity to gain a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter follows a logical structure, introducing the issue clearly, providing personal impact, and suggesting a solution. However, coherence is undermined by abrupt transitions, especially between sentences, which disrupt the flow. Phrases like "Moving further" could be replaced with a more cohesive transition, such as "Furthermore." There are some run-on sentences that could be split for better clarity, affecting overall coherence and cohesion. Therefore, while the ideas are present, their connection could be stronger.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used in the letter varies but is at times informal. Phrases like "lots of problems" could be replaced with more precise language, such as "considerable difficulties." It sometimes lacks complexity, as seen in the repetitive use of straightforward adjectives and phrases. Some vocabulary choices lead to ambiguous meanings, such as "take action regarding this issue," which could be more specific. Overall, while adequate for communication, the lexical resource could be enhanced with more varied and sophisticated word choices.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
Grammatical accuracy is a notable issue in this response. There are instances of incorrect verb forms, such as "I want you to taken some action," where "taken" should be "take." Other errors include sentence fragments, such as "than who will pay the loss," which lacks a subject and clear meaning. Additionally, punctuation mistakes, especially in compound sentences, also hinder clarity. There is a mix of sentence types, but the errors may confuse the reader, impacting overall band score.
Overall feedback
Overall, this letter effectively communicates the parking issue, but it could benefit from a clearer articulation of problems and potential solutions. Strengths lie in the clear identification of the issue and personal impact; however, improvements in vocabulary choice and grammatical accuracy are crucial. Focus on linking ideas more smoothly and ensuring sentence clarity. Consider practicing sentence structure to avoid run-ons and fragments, and aim to vary vocabulary to make the writing more precise and formal.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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