Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-11

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 5.5)

Dear Sir, Hope you are doing well . I am writing this letter to let you know about an issue i am facing in my apartment. WELL, There is continues leakage from my room ceiling. is is causing paint to chip off , moreover, there is smell in room due to constant leakage. additionally , chances for children to slip can also occur due to water. In my opinion, this needs to be managed at earliest possibility.We need to call plumber to sort this problem . this situation happened due to constant rains for last two weeks. We can reconstruct ceilings or we can use some good quality filling materials at the point of leakage.

Furthermore, you can visit my apartment to see the issue yourself , i come back from work around 8 PM daily . I look forward to your response . Thank you . Yours sincerely, Sam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student has successfully covered all three bullet points required by the task instructions. The problem is clearly described, noting a continuous ceiling leakage that causes paint to chip and produces an unpleasant smell, alongside a safety hazard regarding children slipping. The writer suggests practical solutions, including calling a plumber and using filling materials, and appropriately asks the building manager to visit the apartment while specifying a convenient time. The tone is semi-formal and appropriate for a letter to a building manager. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, fulfilling the requirements of a General Training Task 1 response adequately. Based on these positive aspects, this part of the writing achieves a Band 6.5 descriptor, as all parts are addressed with relevant supporting details, although some ideas could be extended further.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement, and the message is easy to follow despite structural quirks. The writer attempts to sequence ideas logically, moving from the description of the problem to suggested solutions and finally to a request for a visit. However, paragraphing is poorly handled, with multiple ideas clumped together and erratic capitalization and spacing, such as 'WELL, There is continues leakage' and abrupt shifts without proper indentation or clear transition sentences. Cohesive devices are used, but sometimes mechanically or incorrectly, such as 'additionally' and 'furthermore'. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of proper paragraph structure prevents the response from achieving a higher band. Overall, the organizational features place this response firmly at a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, successfully communicating the nature of the maintenance problem using common terms like 'apartment', 'leakage', 'ceiling', and 'plumber'. There are attempts to use less common or more precise phrases, such as 'paint to chip off' and 'filling materials'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word choice errors, such as 'continues' instead of 'continuous', 'is is' instead of 'it is', and awkward phrasing like 'smell in room' instead of 'a bad smell in the room'. These lexical inaccuracies do not impede communication, as the reader easily understands the intended meaning, but they prevent the writing from reaching the Band 7 threshold. Therefore, a Band 6.0 is appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as conditional or coordinating structures like 'We can reconstruct ceilings or we can use some good quality filling materials'. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are several punctuation, capitalization, and minor grammatical errors throughout the text, including lowercase letters at the beginning of sentences ('i am writing', 'i come back'), missing articles ('call plumber', 'in room'), and spelling/typographical errors ('is is'). Complex structures are sometimes attempted, but control is shaky. Despite these errors, communication is rarely impeded because the core meaning remains clear. This balance of mixed structures and frequent minor mechanical errors corresponds to a Band 6.0.

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