Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-07

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 Smith,

I am writing this to inform you regarding the leaking pipes outside our apartment.

Costing our intricate painted walls to have water seepage . I am also escalating this problem on behalf of my neighbour next to my apartment as well.

This pipe leaking started as minor problem gradually leeching the walls and our interior.

due to this water leakage me and neighbour had a lot of tiff. they felt that I have caused this problem. So I had to reconcile them by giving them the reason behind the leakage, which could not be manually made. Since the wall is completely dampened and moulded , this affects my wardrobe too.

This problem can easy solved when you can find the right plumber who can conseal the pipes and find the root cause for the water seepage . Maybe replaced by new pipes to avoid future leaks.

I request you to come and visit our community to find for yourself ,how we are distressed by the above issue. Moreover, Let me remind you regarding our association meeting which is long pending .So we can readily discus regarding this problem with the fellow residents and find a immediate solution.

I hope and believe you will take speedy action.

Your's Faithfully,

Ephsy.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you describe leaking pipes and damage to the walls and wardrobe, suggest that a plumber investigate or replace the pipes, and ask the manager to visit. The impact on your neighbour also adds relevant context. However, some details are less fully developed: the cause of the leak is uncertain, and the proposed repair is expressed as possibilities rather than a clear request for a specific action. The pending residents’ meeting is relevant but takes attention away from the main request. To strengthen the letter, state clearly what repair you want arranged and ask for a visit at a suitable time. The purpose is clear overall, though the opening and closing could be more appropriately formal.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a generally sensible sequence: it introduces the leak, explains its effects, proposes a repair, and ends by requesting a visit. Paragraph breaks help distinguish these stages. However, progression is sometimes interrupted by details about the disagreement with your neighbour and the association meeting, which are not connected smoothly to the repair request. Some linking phrases, such as “Moreover” and “So,” feel mechanical, and references such as “this problem” and “the above issue” are repeated without adding clarity. Organise the middle paragraphs around the damage and the action needed, then make the visit request the clear focus of the final paragraph. This would make the overall arrangement easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of vocabulary relevant to the situation, including “water seepage,” “dampened,” “moulded,” and “root cause.” These choices show an effort to be specific, but several are inaccurate or unnatural in context: “costing our intricate painted walls” does not clearly describe the damage, and “conseal the pipes” is not the right expression for repairing a leak. “Leeching the walls” and “tiff” also sound unsuitable or unclear in a formal letter. Spelling and word-form errors, including “discus,” “conseal,” and “Your’s,” reduce precision. Prefer familiar, accurate collocations such as “water has seeped into the walls” and “repair or replace the damaged pipes.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, for example, “Since the wall is completely dampened and moulded, this affects my wardrobe too.” However, control is uneven, and some sentence structures are incomplete or difficult to follow. “Costing our intricate painted walls to have water seepage” is a fragment rather than a complete sentence, while “This pipe leaking started as minor problem” has errors in its noun phrase and article use. There are also problems with agreement and verb forms in “This problem can easy solved” and “Maybe replaced by new pipes.” Punctuation and capitalisation are inconsistent, particularly after full stops. Build complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries.

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