Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-25

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 8.0)

Dear Ziyu,

I am writing this email to request you to kindly extend my current lease agreement that I hold for six-months to a one-year term for the apartment 57C situated on the north location of Mainstreet buildings.

It was quite surprising for me as well, thankfully my wife got her visa approved and will be accompanying me in the next month. Therefore, to explore the other options for accommodation, I would like to extend my stay here with my spouse as it is very spacious and have all the required amenities such as heater, soft-cushioned sofas and cooking appliances.

I have been living here since last five months and I have no major concerns or issues to point out; although, from the past few weeks I have been noticing that the electric stoves are not functioning properly and might require some maintenance. It is affecting my dinner routine as it does not have the usual heating temperature as it used to have when I moved here initially. I would really appreciate to send someone for the inspection and get this resolved immediately.

I am eagerly awaiting and looking forward to hearing from you about the extension of my lease contract.

Warm regards,

Sahil.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state the desired extension length (one year), explain the change in circumstances (wife's visa approval), and describe the maintenance issue with the electric stove. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a landlord. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of the problem is slightly more concise to allow for a more natural flow, but overall, the task is fully achieved.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding sentence. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your points easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'although', and 'as well', which help connect your ideas. To improve, ensure that the transition between the request for extension and the mention of the problem is smoother. Currently, the jump from the apartment amenities to the stove issue is a bit abrupt. Using a clearer topic sentence for the third paragraph would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal letter, such as 'accompanying', 'amenities', and 'maintenance'. There are some minor collocation issues, such as 'north location of Mainstreet buildings' (which sounds slightly unnatural) and 'since last five months' (should be 'for the last five months'). However, these errors do not impede communication. You use a variety of words to describe your situation, which shows a sufficient range for the task. Focusing on more precise collocations will help you move into the higher band range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'I would really appreciate to send someone' (should be 'I would really appreciate it if you could send someone') and 'it does not have the usual heating temperature as it used to have' (which is slightly redundant). Despite these occasional errors, the majority of your sentences are clear and error-free. Your control of punctuation is generally good, and the overall meaning is never in doubt. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures would further strengthen this score.

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