Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-22

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 or Madam, I am writing this letter regarding the issues which I have been experiencing in my apartment for last week . I believe you will solve my problems. I am living in apartment number 7 in your building. I have been facing couple of issues which needs to repair. Firstly, my bathroom's tap is leaking and water go all over the place. Due to this, I have to mopping after couple of minutes. Secondly, owing to scotching heat it is hard to survive without air conditioner . However, my air conditioner is not functioning properly which is causing overheating in my apartment. So, I could not get good sleep every night. I would appreciate it if you could repair not only water tap but also air conditioner . I am looking forward to your response. Yours sincerely, Rajvir Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The candidate addresses all three bullet points required in the prompt: describing the problems in the apartment, suggesting what should be done about them, and asking the building manager to visit. The problems are clearly outlined, specifically the leaking bathroom tap and the malfunctioning air conditioner, and the request for a visit is integrated into the closing. However, the response fails to meet the minimum length requirement, containing 142 words instead of the required 150 words. This negative impact on word count prevents the task from being fully achieved at a higher level, bringing the task achievement score down. Despite this, the tone is appropriately polite and semi-formal, fitting the general letter format. To improve, the candidate must ensure all word count minimums are strictly met by expanding slightly on the descriptions or actions required.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, separating the introduction, the body paragraphs discussing specific issues, and the conclusion. Logical connectors are used to structure the points, such as 'Firstly' and 'Secondly', which help guide the reader through the letter. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, as seen in awkward transitions like 'Due to this, I have to mopping' and abrupt shifts between sentences. Paragraphing is generally used sufficiently and appropriately, but the connection between ideas could be smoother. Overall, the organization is clear enough to follow easily, satisfying the descriptors for Band 6.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts to incorporate less common items such as 'experiencing', 'malfunctioning', and 'scotching' (though misspelled for 'scorching'). There are noticeable lexical and collocation errors, such as 'have to mopping' instead of 'have to mop', and 'water go all over the place' instead of 'water goes everywhere'. Furthermore, 'scotching heat' contains a spelling error. The range is somewhat limited but minimally adequate to convey the intended message. To reach a higher band, the student needs to demonstrate greater control over word choice and ensure correct spelling and grammatical forms of vocabulary items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as conditional and relative structures ('I am writing this letter regarding the issues which I have been experiencing...'). There are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, including tense and verb-form inconsistencies ('needs to repair' instead of 'need to be repaired', 'I have to mopping', 'So, I could not get good sleep'). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from achieving a Band 6. The control of grammar needs improvement, particularly regarding infinitive structures and subject-verb agreement.

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

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