Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You rent a flat from an accommodation agency. Your neighbour who rents their flat from the same agency plays very loud video games late at night.

Write a letter to the accommodation agency. In your letter

• explain when the problem began

• describe how the noise affects you

• say what you would like the agency to do

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I m writing this letter to lodge a complaint against my neighbour who has also bought the flat from your agency, as they are nomophobhic and persons they play loud video games and music in extreme decibal which is quite disturbing for my toddlers.

Initially, I would like to address when this issue began, from few weeks my wife shift has changed to morning timing and it is difficult for her to wake up early because she is not able to take plenty amount of sleep as well as have a small toddler who cries alot due the high decibal of noise. Furthermore I believe it often seen that he invite more friends and they scream shouts alot which is major safety concern for me as I work in night shift. I believe it is unethical to behave in such a way.

The noise effects my toddler, my wife as I mentioned above it is quite disturbing to sleep and especially when we are early birds we need a sufficent amount of sleep, somewhere it is very annoying and pathethic to listen abusive words when they loose the game.

I want to take strict actions by letting me know the concerns neighbours are facing, I request you to give me a notice, few warning and if he doesn't listen make him empty the flat.

I m looking forward for a prompt response. Kindly assist me with this issue.

Your Sincerely

John

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you say the problem began “from few weeks,” explain that the noise disrupts your wife’s sleep and disturbs your toddler, and ask the agency to issue warnings and take further action. The complaint is relevant and your request is clear. However, some details are less fully explained or unclear. For example, the opening claim that the neighbour is “nomophobhic” does not explain the noise problem, and the safety concern about friends shouting is not connected clearly to a specific risk. The request to “make him empty the flat” is also very forceful without first asking for a reasonable investigation or mediation. Develop the timeline and explain the practical action you expect the agency to take.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure, moving from the complaint to its effects and then to the action requested. Paragraphing helps separate these functions, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “as I mentioned above” show an attempt to connect ideas. However, progression is sometimes weakened by repetition: the effects on sleep are described in both the second and third paragraphs. Some references are also unclear, particularly “they” and “he,” and the opening sentence combines several points before the reader can identify the main complaint. Organise the letter around a clear sequence—when the noise started, its effects, and the action requested—and use consistent references to the neighbour.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some vocabulary suited to a formal complaint, including “lodge a complaint,” “disturbing,” “safety concern,” and “prompt response.” These choices communicate the general purpose of the letter. However, noticeable spelling and word-choice errors sometimes make the message difficult to interpret: “nomophobhic” is not appropriate here, “decibal” should be “decibels,” and “pathethic” does not express the intended meaning of unpleasant or upsetting. Several phrases are also unnatural, such as “plenty amount of sleep,” “take strict actions,” and “make him empty the flat.” Aim for accurate, conventional collocations and avoid vocabulary whose meaning is uncertain. More precise wording would make the complaint sound both clearer and more professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including explanations with “because” and “as well as,” and the reader can generally understand the main complaint. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in sentence construction and verb forms. For example, “from few weeks my wife shift has changed” needs a clearer time phrase and possessive construction, while “he invite more friends” requires subject–verb agreement. The opening sentence is also difficult to follow because several clauses are joined without clear grammatical relationships. Punctuation and apostrophes need attention in forms such as “I m” and “doesn't.” Practise building shorter, complete sentences first, then combine related ideas with accurate conjunctions and consistent tense.

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