Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-15

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 or Madam,

I writing to express my dissatisfaction with the flat that I rent with your company, because my neighbour plays very loud video games late at night and I would like another flat.

I rent this flat in your agency last week for familiy holidays. My booking is for 10 days. I have just been here for 3 days. But since I arrived my neighbour always play video game late at night and it is extremely noise.This behaviour is inapropiated, I have asked to him kindly to down the volume but he has never accepted to do it, and for that reason my family and I have been unable to sleep and rest.

I would like to change the flat that I rent for another one, that is located far way from this place, as this time is our holidays in family and we want to rest and enjoying this time calmly. Please

I look forward to hearing from you with a positive solution to this matter

Yours faithfully,

Marce Llano.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address the main purpose and all three requested points: you explain that the noise began when you arrived, describe its effect on your family’s sleep, and ask to move to another flat. The request is clear in “I would like to change the flat,” and the letter’s opening and closing suit a formal complaint. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The start of the problem is tied to your arrival, but the agency would benefit from a clearer time reference, such as the first night and the hours when the games continue. You could also specify what action you expect the agency to take, for example contacting the neighbour or arranging a transfer. The request for a different flat is relevant, though its practical details are unclear.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: the opening states the complaint, the middle explains the circumstances and impact, and the final paragraph makes a request. This gives the reader an overall route through your message. Some links between ideas are less smooth, however. The second paragraph moves quickly from the booking details to the neighbour’s behaviour and then to your family’s lack of sleep, with several ideas crowded into one long sentence. The final paragraph ends abruptly with “Please” before the closing, which interrupts the progression and leaves the request unfinished. Use separate paragraphs for the timeline, effects, and requested action, and connect them with clear transitions such as “As a result” and “Therefore.”

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough relevant vocabulary to communicate the complaint, including “plays very loud video games,” “late at night,” “unable to sleep,” and “change the flat.” The tone is generally appropriate for writing to an agency. However, the range is limited and some word choices or forms are inaccurate, which makes parts of the letter less natural: “extremely noise,” “inapropiated,” and “far way” are examples. “Holidays in family” and “rest and enjoying” also do not express the intended meaning idiomatically. Aim for precise complaint-related phrases and check spelling and collocations. For instance, “the noise is extremely disruptive” and “a quieter flat away from this neighbour” would communicate your meaning more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including the clause beginning “since I arrived” and the explanation of the effect on your family. The main message remains understandable, but errors in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “I writing” needs an auxiliary, “I rent this flat … last week” needs a past-tense form, and “my neighbour always play” needs subject–verb agreement. The sentence beginning “I have asked to him” also has an incorrect grammatical pattern, while the final request trails off after “Please.” Build accuracy by checking each sentence for a clear subject and verb, and use shorter sentences when several ideas are involved. This will make your complaint easier to follow.

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

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