Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You let a friend stay at your apartment while you were away on a trip. When you returned home, you discovered that a valuable possession was broken.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
• describe the broken possession.
• explain why it is important to you.
• explain what you would like your friend to do.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Midou

I am back home after my trip i dont like what i just have seen in my house , it was just three days apsence while am away i am very disappointed seeing what you did to my playstation with the Tv this is realy bad to see my possessions broken . the Tv no more works the console dammages in pieces this is really bad Midou .

those electronics are so special they are a gift from my family before i move on to poland they are a memory for me from them .

listen what we are going to do , i need you right now infront of me you come and take them from here i don't want them anymore in return you pay me for them , or you don't now me from this day forward .

i am really angry from you . do what you have to do .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You cover all three requested points: you identify the damaged TV and PlayStation, explain that they were gifts from your family and hold memories of your move to Poland, and ask your friend to pay for them. The personal reason gives the complaint a clear emotional basis. However, the request is expressed mainly as an angry ultimatum—“you don't know me from this day forward”—rather than a clear, practical proposal. The description of the damage is also difficult to understand, so the reader cannot tell exactly what happened to the console. Develop the requested action more calmly and specifically, such as asking your friend to discuss repair costs or replacement, while keeping the letter’s purpose clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter follows a broadly sensible order: you describe what you found, explain why the electronics matter, and then state what you want your friend to do. The separate paragraph about the family gift helps distinguish the explanation from the complaint. However, most ideas are crowded into long, loosely connected strings, particularly the opening paragraph, where several points are joined with commas. The transitions “those electronics” and “listen what we are going to do” do not create a smooth progression, and the final two statements repeat your anger without adding a new point. Use clearer paragraphing and connect each idea with complete sentences and purposeful linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “disappointed,” “possessions,” “memory,” and “pay me,” so the main complaint can be understood. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make parts unclear: “the console dammages in pieces” does not clearly describe its condition, while “three days apsence” and “real y” are inaccurate forms. Some expressions, such as “I need you right now infront of me,” sound more confrontational than a clear request in a personal letter. Choose precise terms for the damage and compensation, and check spelling and natural word combinations. This would make the message more fluent and easier to interpret.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response relies mostly on simple statements and attempts to join several ideas into longer sentences, but those longer constructions are often difficult to follow. For example, “I am back home after my trip i dont like what i just have seen” combines clauses without appropriate sentence boundaries, and “while am away” is missing a subject. There are also problems with tense and sentence structure in “the Tv no more works” and “you come and take them from here.” Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including lowercase “i” and missing full stops. Practise writing one complete idea per sentence, using consistent past tense for what happened while you were away and clear modal forms for requests.

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

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