Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-10-31

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 Mr. Smith

I am writing this letter to complain about the problem I am facing in the colony. My name is Many, I have been living in Zeeshan Avenue for the last four years.

Although, I am living happily in this colony for the past years without any concern, until the moving of new residents in our neighbouring apartment because they are playing music at late- night every day, therefore, it affecting my sleep, consequently, my study is suffering due to this issue.

Kindly, I would like to request to take some action against them and send them a short written notice with a fine of $1000, and it will get increase if this behaviour will continue.

I hope you will take this matter seriously into account and will take prompt action against them

Yours sincerely,

Many

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the central problem—music played late at night—and explain that it is affecting both your sleep and your studies. You also make a clear request for action, so the main purpose is understandable. However, the task is only partly developed: the effect on your examinations is mentioned briefly, and the requested notice and fine are not explained or framed as a reasonable proposal. The letter is also 12 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to develop the situation and your request. Add specific details, such as when the music occurs and how it disrupts revision, and state politely what change you want the neighbours to make.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a generally sensible order: you introduce yourself and the issue, describe its effects, make a request, and close politely. This gives the reader an overall coherent arrangement. However, the second paragraph combines several ideas in one long sentence, and connectors such as “therefore” and “consequently” make the relationship between them feel mechanical. The opening also shifts from addressing “Mr. Smith” to referring to the neighbours without clarifying who is expected to act. Use separate paragraphs for the problem, its impact, and your requested solution, and make references to the recipient and neighbours explicit. This would make the progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “complain,” “neighbouring apartment,” “written notice,” and “prompt action.” These choices make the purpose clear, and the tone is recognisably formal. However, some expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “in the colony,” “at late-night,” and “take this matter seriously into account.” “Colony” may not convey the intended meaning in this context, while the other phrases do not collocate naturally. The range is adequate to communicate the basic message, but these noticeable word-choice and collocation problems reduce precision. Prefer familiar, accurate expressions such as “residential area,” “late at night,” and “take this matter seriously.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast introduced by “Although” and the conditional idea about the behaviour continuing. However, complex sentences are often faulty: “Although … until the moving of new residents” is an incomplete construction, and “it affecting my sleep” lacks a correctly formed verb. There are also errors in agreement and verb forms in “it will get increase” and “if this behaviour will continue.” Punctuation and sentence boundaries need attention too, particularly in the long sentence beginning “Although.” These errors sometimes make the reader work to understand the message. Build accuracy with shorter complete sentences first, then practise joining them with correctly formed clauses.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.