Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-26

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 Alex,

I hope you are doing well and this letter finds you in the best health.The purpose of this letter is to tell you about the music noise coming from your home that are disrupting everyone especially me.The noises are quite large at night which are becoming hurdles in my life.I face difficulty in my studies and can’t sleep well at night.Moreover, my health is badly affected by the lack of sleep.I have an examination in few days and I have to prepare for them.But due to these noises I can’t pay proper attention to them.The neighbours are also very much affected by this.A best remedy is to lower the music noise at night from 10 p.m onwards.So I can pay attention to my studies and sleep well.I hope this letter will have a positive influence on you and you will understand.I will be thankful to you for this kindness.

Yours sincerely,

Adams

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: it explains the problem (loud music), the impact (sleep deprivation and study disruption), and the requested action (lowering the volume after 10 p.m.). The tone is appropriate for a letter to a neighbour. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the impact on studies and sleep is mentioned multiple times without adding new depth. To reach a higher band, you should expand slightly on the specific nature of the exams or the specific times the noise is most problematic, ensuring the ideas are fully extended rather than just restated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is generally coherent, and the message is easy to follow. You use some basic cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'So', which help the flow. However, the paragraphing is non-existent; the entire body of the letter is one block of text. In IELTS writing, clear paragraphing is essential for a higher score. Additionally, some transitions feel a bit mechanical. To improve, ensure you use clear paragraph breaks to separate the introduction, the problem/impact, the request, and the closing. This will make your writing look more professional and structured.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, but it is somewhat basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'music noise' and 'badly affected' are functional but lack variety. You also have some awkward collocations, such as 'noises are quite large' (noises are usually described as 'loud' or 'intense') and 'hurdles in my life' (which is slightly too dramatic for a noise complaint). To improve, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to the situation, such as 'disturbing,' 'excessive volume,' or 'academic performance.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'music noise... that are disrupting' should be 'is disrupting' (subject-verb agreement). Similarly, 'noises are quite large... which are becoming' should be 'is... which is'. You also have 'in few days' which should be 'in a few days'. While you attempt some complex sentences, the frequency of these basic errors prevents a higher score. Focus on proofreading your work to ensure subject-verb agreement and correct article usage, as these are foundational elements that currently detract from your accuracy.

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

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