Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-12

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently used a company to help you move your furniture and possessions to your new apartment. The removal company has now asked for your feedback about the service they provided.

Write a letter to the removal company. In your letter

• explain what went well on the day you moved house

• praise an employee who was particularly helpful

• mention an aspect of the service that you were not happy with

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear sir maam

I am writing a letter about the company I rented, I'm happy but

Theres some issue Iwant to complain.

First of all the first day of the transfer is better than than what I expected. The transaction run throughly and very nice due to good weather. That help us success our activity.

Secondly I was very appreciate about the employers because they work faster and

and they taking tare of my belongings. I'm very impress because of that I give theme snacks and thift extra money.

Lastly I would like to suggest about your service is next time make it on time. Because they arrive late on the time. What we are settle. And one thing is please also add some trew so te work make esear and not hard for others during materials removing.

Looking forward for your response.

Your sincerly

N. Cortes

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you say the move went better than expected, appreciate the workers’ care, and raise concerns about lateness and the need for more help. However, some points are only partly developed. The praise is directed at the employees generally rather than identifying the particularly helpful employee requested, and the positive account gives little detail beyond the weather and the move going smoothly. The complaint about arriving late is clear, but the request for “some trew” is difficult to understand. The response also falls three words short of the 150-word minimum. Add a specific example of what one employee did and clarify the practical change you want the company to make.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable sequence, using “First of all,” “Secondly,” and “Lastly” to move from positive feedback to criticism. This gives the reader a basic overall structure, and the closing is appropriate in purpose. However, the progression is sometimes mechanical, and several sentences do not connect clearly: “What we are settle” does not explain the lateness complaint, while the final request about extra help is difficult to follow. The opening also combines the purpose and complaint abruptly. Use separate, clearly focused paragraphs for the successful move, the employee’s contribution, and the service problem. Make links between sentences explicit so the reader can follow each point without having to infer the intended meaning.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “belongings,” “arrive late,” and “service,” so the general topic is identifiable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or spellings make the message unclear. “Transaction” does not fit a house move, “employers” appears to mean employees, and “thift” and “trew” are difficult to interpret. Phrases such as “success our activity” and “make it on time” are also not natural in this context. Aim for precise collocations used in removal-service feedback, such as “the move went smoothly,” “handled my belongings carefully,” and “arrived later than the agreed time.” Proofreading spelling will also improve clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple sentences and longer constructions, and the reader can identify the broad purpose of the letter. However, the range is limited, and errors in verb forms, sentence construction, and punctuation frequently make individual ideas difficult to understand. For example, “The transaction run throughly” lacks correct tense and sentence form, while “they work faster and and they taking” mixes verb forms and repeats a conjunction. “What we are settle” is not a complete, clear sentence, and “Because they arrive late on the time” is an awkward fragment. Practise forming complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and keep the tense consistent when describing the completed move. Check sentence boundaries and avoid joining unrelated ideas with “and.”

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

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