Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-04

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You live in a small apartment building. You are frequently bothered by noise from your upstairs neighbour's apartment.

Write a letter to your neighbour. In your letter
• describe the situation.
• explain why it is a problem for you.
• suggest a solution.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Raman,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to inform that I am living in a apartment which is very congested so that there are plethora of predicaments I faced daily in my area.

In other words I am distracted from the noise of multitudes who lived in upstairs apartments. To explain it, when you play a music on a loud sound due to this I am unable to focus on my study and other important tasks because of this i feel too much stress on my mind as I am a study so that.

Moreover, they speak loudly when they talk with each other. It has become Gordian Knot surround me. To nib this problem in the bud you should need to focus on everything which I mentioned above by dint of which I think you will definitely understand my situation.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Simranjit Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the situation, explaining the impact, and suggesting a solution. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. The tone is occasionally inconsistent, and some phrasing is confusing, such as 'I am a study so that,' which obscures the intended meaning. While the task requirements are met, the lack of clarity in explaining the impact and the somewhat vague suggestion for a solution prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure that each point is explained with clear, logical sentences that directly address the reader in a natural, polite manner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, but the flow between sentences is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices like 'In other words' and 'Moreover' is attempted, but they are not always used accurately or naturally. For instance, 'In other words' is used to introduce a new point rather than rephrase a previous one. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the sudden shift to 'they' when referring to the neighbor. Improving the use of transition words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would significantly enhance the logical progression of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is somewhat ambitious but often misused, leading to unnatural collocations. Phrases like 'plethora of predicaments,' 'Gordian Knot,' and 'nib this problem in the bud' are idioms that do not fit the context of a polite letter to a neighbor, making the tone sound overly dramatic or forced. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'congested' to describe an apartment and 'loud sound' instead of 'loud volume.' To improve, focus on using simpler, more precise vocabulary that is appropriate for a semi-formal or informal letter to a neighbor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writing contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with article usage ('a apartment'), verb tense consistency, and sentence structure. For example, 'I am writing to inform that I am living' is awkward, and 'due to this I am unable to focus... because of this i feel' is repetitive and grammatically redundant. The sentence 'It has become Gordian Knot surround me' lacks necessary articles and prepositions. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic sentence construction limits the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition use is essential.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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