Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-24

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 Landlord,

I am writing to request an extension of my stay as my standard lease includes six months only. I have some family problems going on and in this case it would be difficult for me to invest time to find a new place.

I would prefer to live in this apartment for extra six months on top of my current agreement that will allow me to resolve my ongoing family related issues by giving me plenty of time.

Most probably, in the month of October my family will be visiting me to have a in-person discussion about the problem going on between my brother and his wife, therefore I will need to change my plans to move in a small room. Moreover, I have very hectic schedule which is also another reason forcing me to change my living place because moving to another place is really a time consuming and exhaustic activity.

The only problem with the apartment I would like to highlight is the loose transition piece between bedroom and living which is creating a tripping hazard. I have already sent you several emails regarding it.

It would be greatly appreciated if these necessary changes can be made in my agreement at your earliest convenience and the loose transition piece can be secured. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Gurmeet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated the desired extension period, provided a reasonable explanation for the change in plans, and highlighted a specific maintenance issue. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. The ideas are relevant and sufficiently developed to meet the requirements of the task. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of the family situation is slightly more concise, as the current explanation regarding the brother and his wife is a bit repetitive and distracts slightly from the main purpose of the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'moreover', 'therefore', and 'in this case' to connect your ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced, such as the transition into the paragraph about the family visit. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the request, the explanation, and the maintenance issue. The progression of ideas is generally clear, though the flow could be improved by ensuring that each paragraph focuses strictly on one aspect of the prompt without unnecessary digression.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Phrases like 'tripping hazard', 'earliest convenience', and 'ongoing family related issues' are used effectively. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'exhaustic activity' (which should be 'exhausting') and 'invest time to find' (which is slightly unnatural; 'spend time finding' would be better). While you attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary, some word choices are slightly imprecise. Expanding your range of collocations and ensuring accurate word forms will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'my standard lease includes six months only' (should be 'is for six months only'), 'have a in-person discussion' (should be 'an in-person'), and 'change my living place' (should be 'move to a new place'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation issues, such as missing commas in complex sentences. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve your accuracy.

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