Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-07

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have enrolled in an evening course but you have found that you are too busy to continue and would like to take the course next term instead.

• explain the situation and why you cannot continue the course

• say what you would like to do about your studies

• ask for advice about what you can do about the situation

Student answer (Band 4.5)

Dear Neighbour,

I have come to know that you have recently moved into this apartment.I hope you are settling well into your new house. As you know, my apartment is next door to yours.I have noticed that loud music is played in the evening.

I can understand that it's relaxing after long day to amuse yourself with some music. Unfortunately, it is causing various difficulties. As I can't focus on my studies. Moreover, my exams are upcoming in the next week. I am unable to sleep well and focus on my studies.

Consequently, i will request you to please lower the volume after 10 p.m. Similarly, you can also use headphones to enjoy it and have a pleasurable time. It will be beneficial for both of us to have a good time in our apartments.

I will appreciate your concern and thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 2.0

The response is completely off-topic. The task instructions explicitly asked you to write a letter regarding an evening course you have enrolled in, explaining why you cannot continue and requesting to defer to the next term. Instead, you wrote a letter to a neighbour complaining about loud music. Because you failed to address the prompt entirely, the task achievement is severely impacted. Even though the letter format is appropriate for a General Training task, the content does not fulfill any of the requirements set out in the instructions. To improve, you must carefully read the prompt and ensure your response directly addresses the specific situation and bullet points provided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear opening and closing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Consequently', and 'Similarly' to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is somewhat inconsistent, and the transition between the greeting and the body of the letter is abrupt. While the flow of ideas within the letter is coherent, the lack of relevance to the task makes the overall structure ineffective in the context of the exam. To reach a higher band, ensure that your paragraphing clearly separates the different points requested in the prompt and use a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect sentences more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using phrases like 'settling well', 'pleasurable time', and 'beneficial for both of us'. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. However, the vocabulary is relatively simple and lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items. For example, instead of 'loud music is played', you could use 'excessive noise levels' or 'disturbing volume'. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic or formal alternatives will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I can understand that it's relaxing after long day to amuse yourself with some music.' There are some grammatical errors, such as the missing article in 'after long day' and the capitalization error in 'i will request'. Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some spacing issues after periods. While the errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, the range of structures is somewhat limited. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and consistent use of articles, and try to incorporate more varied complex sentence forms.

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

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