Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-06

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 Pami Singh,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to express my willingness to extend the lease agreement for an additional six-months period.

As you know, I had rented this apartment for six months from January 2025 to June 2025. Now, I would like to extend my lease agreement with you until December this year.

I had initially signed up for short term lease agreement because I had plans to stay in Halifax on temporary basis. However, I have liked this city much that I am not willing to leave it now. I would like to stay here for at least one year.

I have encountered some issues in the apartment. There are frequent loud noises from upstairs at night which disrupts my sleep. I have also seen some rats in the apartment. Kindly, contact the pest-control team at your early convenience so that this situation should be controlled before it becomes worse.

I hope you will extent my lease contract and prompt action to solve the issues in our apartment.

Regards,

Iqbal

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 logical reason for the change in plans, and identified specific issues (noise and pests) within the apartment. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the request for action regarding the pest control is well-integrated. To reach a higher band, ensure that all details are fully developed; for instance, you could have briefly mentioned how the noise specifically impacts your daily routine to add more depth to your explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'However' and 'As you know' to connect your thoughts. To improve, try to vary your linking words further and ensure that transitions between sentences are smoother. For example, the transition between the noise issue and the pest problem could be more fluid. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the letter flows well from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'express my willingness', 'encountered some issues', and 'at your early convenience' are well-chosen and appropriate for a formal context. There are a few minor errors, such as 'six-months period' (should be 'six-month period') and 'I have liked this city much' (should be 'so much'). While your vocabulary is functional and accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items would help elevate your score to the next level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to understand. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'this situation should be controlled' (which sounds slightly unnatural; 'needs to be addressed' would be better) and 'I hope you will extent' (should be 'extend'). Additionally, 'at least one year' is grammatically correct but could be phrased more naturally as 'for another year'. Despite these occasional errors, your control of grammar is generally good and does not impede communication.

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

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