Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-07-23

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 5.5)

Dear sir,

Hope you are doing well.I am writing this letter to inform you that the air conditioner in the apartment has not been working since last week.

The last week i tried to turn on air conditioner as the weather is getting extremly hot.when i turned it on first it started to produce different sounds which have never heared before,but after few minutes its stopped even it completely shut off.I tried to turn it on later but it's not .

I my opinion this one need to replace with new one because it would be cost extremly high if it repair instead of replacing with new one since its too old.

I would really appericate if you can vist personally

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: describing the problem, suggesting a solution, and requesting a visit. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which limits the development of ideas. The explanation of the air conditioner's failure is somewhat repetitive, and the suggestion for a replacement lacks detail or justification beyond the age of the unit. To improve, you should expand on the impact of the problem (e.g., how the heat is affecting your daily life) and provide a more formal, polite closing to ensure the tone is appropriate for a building manager.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which is a good start. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link sentences and ideas together; for example, the transition between describing the noise and the unit shutting off is abrupt. The use of paragraphing is minimal, and the overall structure feels like a list of points rather than a cohesive letter. Using linking words such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition' would help improve the flow and logical connection between your sentences.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several spelling errors, such as 'extremly' (extremely), 'heared' (heard), 'appericate' (appreciate), and 'vist' (visit). Additionally, some word choices are unnatural, such as 'this one need to replace' instead of 'this unit needs to be replaced.' To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology related to home maintenance and ensuring correct spelling. Expanding your range of adjectives and verbs will help you express your situation more clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tenses ('its stopped', 'it's not'), missing articles ('with new one'), and sentence structure. The punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after periods and commas. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors occur frequently and occasionally cause the reader to pause. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, which is often necessary when describing repairs (e.g., 'the unit needs to be repaired'). Proofreading for basic punctuation and spelling will also significantly improve your score.

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