Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-10

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 5.0)

Dear Mr Jack,

I am writing to complain about the problems that I faced in appartment from last 2 weeks. Which really disturb me in my daily routine.

The problems are as follows firstly, the water supply motor is totally burnt while supplying water i believe it might be possible from short circuit. Secondly, I noticed 2 days ago that apartment all washing machines are rusted during washing clothes, the colour of rust are permanently changed the actual colour of my formal wears and also some times I feel shocked .

I would be

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is significantly under-length at 94 words. Furthermore, the letter is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence ('I would be'). While you have attempted to describe the problems, the lack of a conclusion and the failure to complete the request for a visit mean that the task is not fully addressed. To improve, you must ensure all bullet points are covered in full and that the letter reaches the required length by providing more detail and a proper closing.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter shows some attempt at organization using transition words like 'firstly' and 'secondly'. However, the abrupt ending and the lack of a clear paragraph structure for the final requirements hinder the overall flow. The referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the phrase 'apartment all washing machines', which makes the sequence of ideas difficult to follow. To improve, ensure each paragraph has a clear focus and that you use cohesive devices to link your sentences more naturally, ensuring the letter reaches a logical conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and contains several errors in word choice and collocation. For example, 'water supply motor is totally burnt' is unnatural; 'malfunctioning' or 'broken' would be more appropriate. The phrase 'colour of rust are permanently changed' is grammatically and lexically awkward. You are attempting to describe specific technical issues, but you lack the precise vocabulary to do so effectively. Focus on learning collocations related to household maintenance and ensure you check for basic word-form errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors that impede clarity. You have issues with tense usage ('I faced in appartment from last 2 weeks'), subject-verb agreement ('the colour of rust are'), and sentence fragments ('Which really disturb me'). The sentence structure is quite repetitive and lacks the complexity expected at higher bands. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically ensuring that every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and practice using present perfect continuous for actions that started in the past and continue to the present.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.