Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear owner,

I am living your apartment before five months and already paid the rent an apartment on six months agreement.I wish I want to stay more the one year because this apartment is very beautiful and well ventilated.on the other hand this apartment is not so far of a my office so .some times I came back my office by walk . Good thing is all markets near the apartment that’s why I want increase my agreement and I wish to stay more at least one year.

Only small issues for this apartment some times suddenly during shower hot water is coming, I need sound prove door some times i listen to music I heard outside voice going and this voice disturb for every one so

I want to stay more and please increase my agreement after that I will pay rent more

Accept my request

Thank you for your kindness

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reasons for the change, and the mention of a maintenance issue. However, the development of these points is quite limited. The explanation for the change in plans is vague, and the description of the apartment issues (hot water and soundproofing) is brief and lacks clarity. While the tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a landlord, the overall development of ideas is somewhat simplistic. To improve, you should provide more specific details about your circumstances and elaborate on the maintenance requests to ensure the landlord fully understands the situation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter lacks clear paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow the progression of ideas. While there is a basic attempt to sequence information, the lack of transition words and cohesive devices makes the writing feel disjointed. For example, the transition between the request to stay and the mention of apartment issues is abrupt. To achieve a higher band, you should use clear paragraph breaks for each section of the letter and incorporate linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'however' to connect your sentences and ideas more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying on basic structures to convey meaning. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'sound prove door' instead of 'soundproof door' and 'outside voice going' instead of 'noise from outside'. The word choices are functional but lack the precision and variety expected at higher levels. To improve, focus on learning collocations related to renting and maintenance, and try to use more descriptive adjectives to express your thoughts more clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The text contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with verb tenses ('I am living your apartment before five months'), prepositions ('not so far of a my office'), and sentence structure (run-on sentences and missing punctuation). The range of structures is limited to simple sentences, with few attempts at complex grammatical forms. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Proofreading for basic punctuation and tense consistency would also significantly improve the clarity of your writing.

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