Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-11-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have a problem in your apartment that needs repairs.

Write a letter to the building manager. In your letter
• describe the problem.
• say what you think should be done about it.
• ask the building manager to visit your apartment to see the problem.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Building Manager,

Hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to you to address an issue we are currently facing. It's been a few days, and there is a problem with the water leakage in the kitchen area. The area from the sink down to the cabinets is leaking even without turning on the sink taps. This is causing a bad smell and water waste. We tried to fix it with some hacks; however, they did not work.

As we saw this issue, I believe this area needs a repair, and the pipes below the taps seem to be old and are not in a condition to function properly. A plumber can check the issue and then give genuine advice on how to resolve this problem.

I would request a visit to the apartment to see the problem, as that would make it clear for you to analyse the issue, how much damage it caused, and figure out the solution and the costs that are required. Let me know when yoy have some spare time to come so we can also manage our time to stay in when you will visit.

Waiting for your reply as soon you have time.

Thank you

regards

ruhi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter clearly addresses all three requirements: you describe water leaking beneath the kitchen sink even when the taps are off, explain that a plumber should inspect the pipes, and ask the manager to visit. The effects—bad smell and wasted water—help show why the repair matters, and the request for an on-site visit is supported by the need to assess damage and costs. Your purpose remains clear throughout. To make the proposed action more fully developed, specify whether you want the manager to arrange a plumber or approve access for one, and give a practical timeframe for the visit. This would make the requested next steps more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The message follows a clear progression from introducing the leak, to suggesting a repair, to requesting a visit. Paragraphing separates these stages effectively, and linking expressions such as “however” and “as” help connect the ideas. The final request also explains why the manager’s visit would be useful. Some transitions and references are less smooth: “As we saw this issue” is an awkward link, while “this area” could refer either to the sink area or the pipes. The closing is also split into several short lines, which makes the ending feel less controlled. Use a more direct transition, clarify what each reference points to, and group the closing into a conventional sign-off.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use enough vocabulary to explain the problem and its consequences, including “water leakage,” “bad smell,” “water waste,” and “damage.” There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “pipes below the taps” and “resolve this problem.” However, some choices are imprecise or informal for a letter to a building manager. “Hacks” is too casual for attempted repairs, “genuine advice” is not the natural collocation here, and “analyse the issue” is less suitable than language about inspecting or assessing it. There are also spelling and word-choice slips, including “yoy” and “as soon.” Choose precise repair-related terms and maintain a consistently polite, formal register.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms. For example, “We tried to fix it …; however, they did not work” combines related ideas, and the sentence explaining the visit’s purpose uses a longer structure. Meaning is generally clear, but some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. “Hope you are doing well” omits the subject, and “Let me know when yoy have some spare time to come so we can also manage our time to stay in when you will visit” is awkwardly constructed, with an unnecessary future form after “when.” The closing also needs consistent sentence punctuation and capitalization. Review complete sentence structure and simplify long requests so that time clauses and punctuation are controlled.

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