Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-15

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Mr. Sharma,

I am writing this letter to complain about the new appartment in which I recently moved.

To commence with, I hope that you were aware that I moved in your apartment on 1st September. Unfortunately, the apartment has multiple problems such as issues in air conditioning system and lock of front door. In other words, the AC is not doing proper cooling and it gives a wired noise, the front door lock also gets stuck while locking.

These problems make the place unsuitable to live. This is because in summers, it is difficult to live without air conditioning. Moreover, malfunctioning in the front lock is affecting our personal safety and the safety of our goods. Unlocked house is an easy target for thieves.

Lastly, I would really appreciate it if you could fix the AC and front lock as soon as possible. The lease of the apartment clearly states that the AC and front lock have no malfunctions. Please fix these issues within 5 business days or provide me refund of security

deposit to fix these problems.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours Sincerely,

Parminder Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response effectively covers all parts of the task. The student adopts an appropriate semi-formal/formal tone for a letter of complaint to a landlord, clearly stating the purpose of the letter in the opening paragraph. The specific problems with the apartment—namely the malfunctioning air conditioning system and the broken front door lock—are clearly highlighted. Furthermore, the writer extends and supports these ideas by explaining the negative consequences of these issues, such as personal safety risks and discomfort during the summer. Finally, the letter outlines clear demands for remediation within five business days or a refund. The purpose and stance are maintained consistently throughout the text, earning a solid band score for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression. It opens with an appropriate salutation and clear statement of purpose, moves into the specific complaints, explains the impact of these issues, and concludes with clear demands and a standard sign-off. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct ideas, such as introducing the problems, discussing their implications, and stating the required action. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'To commence with', 'Moreover', and 'Lastly', although 'To commence with' is slightly unnatural for a personal letter compared to 'To begin with'. Overall, the referencing is clear and the progression of thought is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey information with some flexibility and precision. Words and phrases such as 'malfunctioning', 'personal safety', and 'business days' demonstrate an adequate control of task-specific leksis. However, there are some noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations, such as 'appartment' (spelling error), 'wired noise' (should be 'weird noise'), and 'lock of front door' (unnatural phrasing). Despite these occasional slips, the vocabulary used is adequate to allow the message to be communicated clearly without impeding understanding.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and conditional ideas effectively, as seen in 'The lease of the apartment clearly states that the AC and front lock have no malfunctions.' There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text, including article usage issues such as 'in which I recently moved' (missing preposition 'into'), 'moved in your apartment' (should be 'moved into'), and 'give a wired noise'. Additionally, there is a missing article in 'provide me refund' (should be 'provide me WITH A refund'). Despite these errors, the sentence structures are generally clear and rarely impede overall communication.

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

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