Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-27

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 am writing to complain about neighbour loud video game late at night.

First, I would like to explain when the problem began about two week ago, they often plays very loud video game at night, they start game at 10 p.m and sometime play continue over night. I also close door but I still hear noise.

In addition, I would like to describe how the noise affects me. the noise very loud so make my son not sleep, my son often wake up at night because they too noise and make me not focus to work and I feel uncomfortable.

Finally, I would like to the agency to do. Please ask they stop plays loud video games after 10 p.m and reduce the noise, I hope you can solve problem because it affects my family and affects others.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Your faithfully,

Nhi.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you say the problem began “about two week ago,” explain that the noise wakes your son and affects your ability to work, and ask the agency to intervene. The purpose is clear and the details are relevant. However, some points are less fully developed than others. For example, the start time and overnight gaming are useful specifics, but the request that the agency “solve problem” could be clearer about the action you expect, such as contacting the neighbour or enforcing quiet hours. The effect on your family is also stated rather than expanded. A more precise, politely worded request and one or two supporting details would make the letter more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a coherent overall arrangement: an opening complaint is followed by paragraphs about when the noise began, its effects, and the action requested. Signposts such as “First,” “In addition,” and “Finally” help the reader follow this sequence, and the closing is appropriate. Some cohesion is mechanical, however, because each paragraph announces its function in a similar way. There are also places where links between ideas are unclear, particularly in the long sentence beginning “they often plays” and the request paragraph, where several actions are joined without clear punctuation. Use shorter sentences and clearer references to the neighbour and the agency to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main complaint, with relevant expressions such as “late at night,” “affects my family,” and “reduce the noise.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, which sometimes makes the reader pause. For instance, “neighbour loud video game” needs a more natural phrase such as “my neighbour’s loud video games,” while “solve problem” would be clearer as “resolve this issue.” The repeated use of “noise” and “affects” also limits variety. Build a small set of formal complaint phrases and practise using them accurately, while keeping the language direct and polite.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, and the overall meaning can generally be understood. Some grammatical errors remain, especially in verb forms, agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries. Examples include “they often plays,” “my son not sleep,” and “Please ask they stop plays,” where the verb patterns and pronouns need correction. The sentence “the noise very loud so make my son not sleep” also lacks a finite verb and has unclear structure. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including the lowercase “the” after a full stop and the opening “Dear Sir or Madam.” followed by a period. Practise accurate basic clauses first, then connect them with conjunctions.

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

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