Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-08

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,

I am writtin to inform you of the current stete of your building at No 23 Bright street off ajah road. Agbor. I am Mrs Mary the current occupant of the mentioned building. Some part anfd items in the apartment need urgent attention and repair.

Things needed urgent attention involves; the heater tht ha not been working foro pas oone week and considering the current situation of weather, the heater is a nececity. Second one is the water in the bathroom is currently not working for not known reason. I remembered, when we were about parking inton the enviroment, you assures us that the refrigerator will be provived withing one week as the past occupant could not properply manage the previously one. As it stands, we are still expecting the refrigrator.

I believe the best thing to do should be for you tom coome in person for proper inspection an equally see for yourself. Providingb a good plumber will be necessary as urgent as possible.

Thanks for listening as we wxpect your urgent response.

Yours faithfully

Mrs Mary

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address the main purpose of the letter and include the requested elements: you report a heater that has not worked for a week, explain that the bathroom water is not working, request a plumber, and ask the manager to inspect the apartment in person. The reference to the promised refrigerator adds relevant context. However, the proposed action is less fully explained: “Providing a good plumber” does not clearly say who should arrange the repair or when, and the refrigerator issue is not tied to a specific request. Make each requested action explicit and develop the practical details, such as asking the manager to arrange repairs promptly and confirm a visit. The formal opening and closing are appropriate for this complaint.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable overall structure: it introduces the problem, lists the issues, and ends with a request and closing. Sequencing the heater, water supply, and refrigerator helps the reader follow the main points. However, the middle paragraph is crowded, and the shift from the bathroom water problem to the earlier refrigerator promise is abrupt. Phrases such as “Second one” and “As it stands” provide some linking, but the connections are sometimes mechanical or unclear. Use separate paragraphs for the repair problems and the refrigerator, then finish with a concise paragraph stating the requested visit and actions. Clearer references would also help the manager distinguish the current faults from the outstanding promise.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use vocabulary relevant to a maintenance complaint, including “urgent attention,” “current occupant,” “proper inspection,” and “urgent response.” These choices show an attempt to communicate the seriousness of the situation. However, spelling errors and inaccurate word forms are noticeable throughout, including “writin,” “nececity,” “refrigrator,” and “Providingb.” Some expressions are also imprecise or unnatural, such as “the water in the bathroom is currently not working” and “for not known reason.” These issues can make the reader pause, even though the main meaning is generally recoverable. Proofread carefully and choose precise collocations, for example, “the bathroom water supply has stopped” and “for an unknown reason.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, such as “I remembered, when we were about parking into the environment, you assures us…” This shows an effort to explain background information, but the sentence is difficult to follow because its tense and clause structure are not controlled. There are also some errors in verb forms and sentence construction, for example, “the heater that has not been working for past one week” and “you assures us.” The request sentence, “I believe the best thing to do should be for you to come in person,” is understandable but awkwardly structured. Use clearer, shorter sentences where needed, and check tense consistency, articles, and agreement: “You assured us that the refrigerator would be provided within a week.”

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

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