Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Five months ago, you started renting an apartment on a six-month agreement. You now wish to stay in the apartment for longer than the six months you originally agreed with the owner.

Write a letter to the owner of your apartment. In your letter

• say how long you now want to rent the apartment for
• explain why your plans have changed
• tell the owner about a problem in the apartment

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ....................................,

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing this letter in order to inform you about a recent change in my plan regarding my stay at your apartment. Initially, we agreed on a six months time-frame; however, now I would like you to extend this tenure for upto six more months.

The reason behind this request is that my training course, that was initially planned for six months, has been increased. I moved to this apartment beacuse the training center was near to this building. However, this training session has now been extended by the management, I would request you to kindly increase the time limit of our agreement for six more months. Additionally, please let know if there will be any changes in the rental amount.

Apart from that, I would be grateful if you could send somebody to repair the kitchen door as soon as possible. The lock has been stuck and I always find it difficult to open the door. The hinges of the door are also very loose.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Zain

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter clearly addresses all three requirements: you request a further six months, explain that your training course has been extended, and describe the kitchen-door problem. The reason for choosing the apartment—its proximity to the training centre—also makes the change of plans easy to understand. The request is polite and the purpose remains clear throughout. To make the response more fully developed, specify the exact new end date or clarify whether the extension would begin after the original six-month agreement. You could also give the owner a little more practical detail about the repair, such as when the door is difficult to open or when someone could visit. These additions would make the request more precise and complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a sensible order: you introduce the extension request, explain the changed circumstances, raise the repair issue, and close politely. Paragraphing separates the main request from the apartment problem, while phrases such as “The reason behind this request” and “Apart from that” help signal the relationship between ideas. The progression is clear, though some linking is slightly repetitive: the request to extend the agreement is restated in the second paragraph after it has already been made in the opening. Combining these points or using the second mention to add a specific detail would make the letter more economical. Overall, the organisation is effective, with some room for more flexible and less repetitive cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a suitable range of formal language for a letter to a landlord, including “inform you,” “extended,” “grateful,” and “I look forward to hearing from you.” The vocabulary communicates the purpose and the repair issue clearly. Some choices, however, are less natural or precise in this context: “extend this tenure” and “increase the time limit of our agreement” sound awkward, while “upto” should be written as “up to.” There are also spelling errors in “beacuse” and “center” if using British English conventions. Aim for straightforward, natural collocations such as “extend my tenancy” and “the course has been extended.” This would improve precision and consistency without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The letter includes a useful mix of sentence forms, including a contrast with “however,” a reason clause beginning “because,” and a relative clause describing the course. Most sentences are easy to understand, and the request and problem are expressed clearly. Some grammatical inaccuracies remain. For example, “a six months time-frame” needs a singular modifier (“a six-month time frame”), and “please let know” is missing an object (“please let me know”). The sentence beginning “However, this training session…” joins two independent clauses with only a comma, so it would be clearer with a full stop or a conjunction. These are generally minor and do not obscure meaning; more consistent control of compound structures and noun forms would strengthen accuracy.

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

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