Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-04

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 Sachini,

I am writing to you for make a complain. We know that we are living in small apartments with limited space. I am frequently bothering by noice from your apartment. Although it is my upstair, the noice come so badly specially morning and the evening. The most annoying thing is your radio sound. It affect us so badly.

Nowadays I am preparing for my Advanced level examination. I get up early in the morning for my studies. The noice from your home is bothering me. I am unable to focus my mind for my lecturer because of the music sounds. Event I can not sleep well at night. My parents also told me to explain that matter to you.

I think if you play radio in low volume it will be fine. I hope you would consern

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The letter addresses the three requested points: it describes noise from the upstairs neighbour’s radio, explains that it disrupts your exam preparation and sleep, and asks for the radio to be played at a lower volume. These details make the purpose clear. However, the request is brief and the proposed solution is not developed—for example, you could suggest quiet hours or invite the neighbour to discuss a suitable arrangement. The closing, “I hope you would consern,” is incomplete, so the final request does not come across clearly. The response also falls 11 words short of the required minimum, which limits how fully you can explain the situation and solution.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The ideas are arranged in a sensible order: the first paragraph introduces the noise, the second explains its effects, and the final lines offer a solution. This gives the reader a coherent overall path through the letter. Basic links such as “Although,” “Nowadays,” and “because of” help connect points, and the paragraph break separates the situation from its impact. However, some connections are unclear, particularly “Although it is my upstair,” and the ending stops abruptly after “I hope you would consern.” A complete closing and a clearer transition into the request would make the letter’s progression smoother and its cohesion less dependent on simple linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main issue, including “limited space,” “radio sound,” “examination,” and “low volume.” The reader can understand that noise is affecting your studies and sleep. However, the range is limited and several noticeable spelling or word-choice errors reduce precision: “noice” appears repeatedly, “make a complain” is not the natural phrase, and “consern” does not express the intended request clearly. Some expressions, such as “music sounds,” are also awkward. Aim to use accurate collocations and vary repeated words—for instance, refer to “noise” as “loud music” or “disturbance” where appropriate. This would make the letter more natural and easier to read.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response mainly uses simple sentences, with a few attempts to add complexity, such as “Although it is my upstair” and “because of the music sounds.” These attempts show some range, but grammatical control is inconsistent. Examples include “I am frequently bothering” instead of a passive form such as “I am frequently bothered,” “The noice come” instead of “The noise comes,” and “It affect us” instead of “It affects us.” The sentence about focusing “for my lecturer” also has an unclear grammatical relationship. The final sentence is incomplete. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement, verb forms, and complete sentence construction, then combine ideas using controlled complex sentences.

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