Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-31

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 Sir,

With due respect, I am writing this letter to tell you that in my apartment their is a water leakage from the taps. due to this I am not functioning my self properly. I am requesting you to visit my apartment and see the problem carefully as for now, I want to change the taps of entire apartment if it could possibly done. Furthermore, you can come and see the problem itself and suggest any possible solution but for me I want to change the taps as soon as possible. I must be very thankful to you if you find a solution for this.

Yours sincerely,

Supreet.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, as it is only 109 words long. This significantly impacts the development of the ideas. While you have addressed all three bullet points—describing the problem, suggesting a solution, and requesting a visit—the content is underdeveloped. The explanation of the problem is vague, and the request for a visit is repetitive. To improve, you need to expand on the impact of the leak (e.g., damage to floors or furniture) and provide more professional detail regarding the proposed solution to ensure the task is fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is very short, which limits the opportunity to demonstrate a range of cohesive devices. You have used basic transitions such as 'Furthermore' and 'due to this', but the overall flow is somewhat mechanical. The paragraphing is also insufficient; a formal letter should ideally separate the introduction, the body of the complaint, the proposed solution, and the closing into distinct paragraphs. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure each main point is contained within its own paragraph.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'not functioning my self properly' are unnatural and unclear in this context. You rely on simple, everyday language that lacks the precision required for a formal complaint. For instance, instead of saying 'change the taps', you could use more specific terminology like 'replace the faulty fixtures' or 'address the plumbing issue'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more formal, topic-specific vocabulary related to maintenance and property management, and avoid informal phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are several grammatical errors that affect the clarity of your writing. For example, 'their is a water leakage' should be 'there is a water leak', and 'if it could possibly done' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'if it could possibly be done'. The sentence structure is generally simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice, which is often useful in formal requests. Proofreading for basic errors like 'their' versus 'there' is essential.

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.