Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-16

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

New neighbours have recently moved into the house/flat next door to where you live. You have examinations soon, but your neighbours play music late at night which is affecting your studies and sleep.

• explain what the problem is
• why it is causing you difficulties
• what action you would like them to take

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear neighbour ,

I hope you are doing well . Actually , i am preparing my self for examination . I need to focus on my studies , instead i am facing issue while studying because of you play music at night . Then , this thing affect my sleep as well my focus on studies . So that , playing music at night distracted me a lot .

Here some actions would be very helpful . Could you please either stop play music at night , play at really minimum sound ,that would be useful for me to stay focus on my studies and it would allow mw to take proper sleep at night .I would be more thankful , if you please do this solution for me . This appreciating action can be great for my studies and sleep , and prevents distruptions in my studies and relax time . Thank you so much for your understanding and time .

Best regards ,

Sukh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the task: explaining the problem, the impact on your studies, and the requested action. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a neighbour. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive, particularly regarding the impact on your studies and sleep. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on these points with more specific detail or a more formal structure. The purpose of the letter is clear throughout, and the reader understands exactly what is required.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your message. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'Then, this thing' and 'So that' are used incorrectly or awkwardly, which disrupts the flow of ideas. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'therefore' to connect your sentences more naturally. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'play at really minimum sound' and 'this appreciating action'. These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning, but they do limit the precision of your communication. To improve, try to incorporate more natural collocations and avoid repeating the same words (like 'studies' and 'music') too frequently. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and verbs will help you express your needs more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('you play music'), article usage, and sentence structure ('i am preparing my self for examination'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. While the meaning is generally clear, the high frequency of errors in basic structures prevents the response from reaching a higher band. You should focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct verb tenses, and proofreading for common errors like missing articles or incorrect word forms.

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

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