Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-06

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 6.0)

Dear Neighbour,

I live in apartment 609, writing this letter regarding loud music and heavy footstep noise that is very much audible downstairs.

As a student myself it is very hard for me to concentrate in my study. I have four weeks left for my exam, really not able to focus. I have tried putting on noise cancellation headphones, still I can hear, as our walls are not sound proof.

I would like to request, to reduce the volume and put carpet on the floor because whenever I try to sleep the noise always wake me up in the middle of night. Which somehow affects my study.

Thank you for understanding my problem, I would really appreciate if the sound goes down by today itself. I have final exam on 29th September.

Your Faithful,

Surya Dulawat

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the noise, explaining the impact on your studies, and suggesting solutions. However, the response is 14 words under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped due to the brevity. To improve, you should expand on the specific nature of the noise or provide more context regarding your living situation to ensure you comfortably meet the length requirement and provide a more fully developed response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited. Phrases like 'Which somehow affects my study' are grammatically fragmented and do not connect well to the previous sentence. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition to this') to create a smoother flow between your ideas and ensure that your sentences are clearly connected rather than appearing as isolated statements.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You use a functional range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal letter, such as 'regarding', 'audible', and 'appreciate'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'Your Faithful' (the standard closing is 'Yours faithfully') and 'goes down' (which is informal). The vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. Try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and ensure that your word choices are contextually accurate for a formal complaint.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writing contains a mix of simple and complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'writing this letter' should be 'I am writing this letter', and 'the noise always wake me up' should be 'the noise always wakes me up'. Additionally, there are punctuation issues and sentence fragments, such as 'Which somehow affects my study.' To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over subject-verb agreement, article usage, and sentence construction, ensuring that your complex sentences are error-free.

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

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