Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-16

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 Manjit.

My primary aim of writing this letter to only address you towards the noise issue that I am facing these days.

I am your dowstairs neighbour living in the aparrtment from the past one year.I really do not want you get offend but, I am getting quite disturbed and anxious owing to the, unwanted boisterous music noises coming from your side which is also not ethical, If you are accommodating in neighbourhood.

Actually, my exams are going to happen in next month also, I am majoring in a quite arduous subjects which needs immense concentration andf sufficient time to study, and generally, Its unable for me to focus on my academics in this kind of environment.

I can just plead you to take my request under consideration by lowering the sound of music with in yourself. I will really appreciate this act of compassion and looking forward a positive response.

Yours faithfully,

Navdeep kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address the main points by describing disruptive music, explaining that it affects your concentration before exams, and asking your neighbour to lower the volume. The reason for writing is clear, and the request is relevant. However, the description of the situation is quite general: you do not say when the noise usually occurs or how often it happens. The proposed solution is also limited to lowering the music, without suggesting a specific arrangement, such as keeping it quieter at certain times. The phrase “which is also not ethical” may sound accusatory and does not clearly explain the practical impact. Developing these details and making the request more tactful would make the letter more complete and effective.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter follows a broadly sensible order: you introduce the noise, explain its effect on your studies, and make a request. This gives the reader an overall understanding of your purpose. However, most of the content is presented in a few long blocks, so the stages of the message are not clearly separated. Some linking is awkward or mechanical, particularly “Actually” and “also,” and the opening sentence is difficult to follow. Clearer paragraphing and simpler transitions would improve progression. For example, use one paragraph to describe the noise, another to explain its effect, and a final one to suggest a practical solution. This would make the relationships between your ideas easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of vocabulary, including “boisterous,” “disturbed,” “arduous,” and “immense concentration,” which shows an effort to express the problem precisely. However, several choices or combinations are unnatural or unsuitable for a neighbourly letter. “Boisterous music noises” is awkward, while “lowering the sound of music with in yourself” does not communicate the request naturally. “Not ethical” is also too strong and does not fit the context well. There are noticeable spelling errors, such as “dowstairs” and “aparrtment,” which reduce the accuracy of the vocabulary. Prefer familiar, natural phrases for this situation and check spelling and collocations carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a sentence explaining that your exams are approaching and that you need time to study. However, some sentence structures are difficult to control, and errors sometimes make the message less clear. For example, “I really do not want you get offend” needs a different verb pattern, and “I am majoring in a quite arduous subjects” has problems with article use and agreement. The opening sentence also has an unclear construction, and punctuation is inconsistent, including the full stop after “Manjit” and commas that interrupt clauses. Use shorter, complete sentences where needed, then check verb patterns, articles, agreement, and punctuation.

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

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