Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-18

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 Jones,

Greetings for the day!

Through this letter, I am informing you that I am a student and I am living your one of the apartment which is red apple from two years. Moreover, in your flat there is water leakage system and I am suffering this problem since a week ago along with this I have also call the plumber and he does not find the fault.

Could you please elaborate me about that what initiatives have been taken regarding this. Firstly, I think that there is problem in water pipes as they are very older and check all the water points to know that from where is leakage.

Additionally, I would recommend you to come here and visit the apartment and you would call a experience plumber. Besides this, you should see the problem and make initiatives for this.

Looking forward to your prompt response!

Yours sincerely,

Smith.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points: describing the problem, suggesting a solution, and requesting a visit. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the description of the leakage is vague, and the suggestions for the manager are repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific details about the nature of the leak (e.g., where it is located) and explain the impact it is having on your living situation. While the tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, the content lacks the depth required for a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Firstly', and 'Additionally'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'I am suffering this problem since a week ago'. The transition between the problem description and the request for a visit could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring they are used naturally would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it is somewhat basic and contains several errors in word choice and collocation. For example, 'I am living your one of the apartment' is grammatically incorrect and unnatural. You also use 'make initiatives' and 'elaborate me', which are not standard collocations in this context. To improve, focus on using more precise vocabulary related to maintenance and housing, and ensure that your word choices are appropriate for a formal request to a building manager.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I am suffering this problem since a week ago' (should be 'have been suffering'), 'he does not find the fault' (should be 'could not find'), and 'they are very older' (should be 'very old'). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and your attempts at more complex sentences often contain errors in tense or word order. Increasing your control over verb tenses and sentence construction will significantly improve your score.

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.