Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-30
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 7.5)
Dear Raj,
I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to bring to your attention an issue that has been bothering me for the past few weeks.
I live in the apartment directly below yours, Flat No. 3. For the last two weeks, I have been hearing loud noises, especially late at night and early in the morning. It seems like there is constant dragging of furniture and loud music, and sometimes heavy footsteps after 11 pm. On weekends, the noise continues till 1 am.
I wanted to explain why this is a major problem for me. I work night shifts at a local hospital and I sleep during the day, but due to this disturbance I am *not only* unable to sleep properly *but also* feeling extremely tired at work. *If* this noise continues, it will affect my health and my job performance. My 2-year-old daughter also gets scared and wakes up when there is a loud thud from above. *The longer this noise problem continues, the more difficult it becomes for us to live peacefully.*
Therefore, I would like to suggest a possible solution. Could you please try to avoid dragging furniture after 10 pm and perhaps use rugs or carpets to reduce the sound? If you could lower the volume of the music late at night, it would be a great help. I would be happy to discuss this over a cup of tea if you prefer.
I understand that living in apartments requires some adjustment and I hope you will take my request positively. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Manpinder
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The response fully and effectively addresses all parts of the task prompt. The student successfully describes the situation by mentioning the noise from the upstairs apartment, including the specific times it occurs, such as late at night and early in the morning. The impact on the writer is clearly explained, highlighting both personal struggles with sleep deprivation due to working night shifts at a local hospital and the distress caused to a two-year-old daughter. Furthermore, a practical and polite solution is suggested, including avoiding furniture dragging after 10 pm, using carpets, and lowering music volume, along with an invitation to discuss the matter over tea. The tone is appropriate for a neighbourly letter. The ideas are well-developed and all requirements of the General Training Task 1 instructions are thoroughly covered, deserving a high band score.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Ideas are logically sequenced, moving smoothly from a polite opening and description of the problem, to the personal impact, and finally to constructive solutions. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function in the structure of the letter. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and naturally, such as 'For the last two weeks', 'Therefore', and 'I understand that', without any mechanical or awkward transitions. Referencing is clear throughout, making the letter very easy to follow and comprehend.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
The student demonstrates a sufficient and natural range of vocabulary suitable for a semi-formal letter. Phrases such as 'bring to your attention', 'constant dragging of furniture', 'disturbance', and 'job performance' show good control of collocation and style. There is an attempt to use less common items and idiomatic expressions appropriate to the context, such as 'requires some adjustment'. Spelling and word choice are accurate throughout, and communication is completely unimpeded. While the vocabulary is fluent and appropriate, it falls just short of the wide and flexible range characterised by Band 8, making Band 7 a very solid and accurate reflection of the student's lexical control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
The student displays a commendable command of grammatical range and accuracy. There is a healthy mix of simple and complex sentence forms used accurately. Notable complex structures include correlative conjunctions ('not only... but also'), conditional structures ('If this noise continues...'), and comparative correlatives ('The longer this noise problem continues, the more difficult it becomes...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is well-managed throughout the text. Minor slips are absent, and the control demonstrated over complex grammatical structures justifies a high band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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