Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-07

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 Ram,

The purpose of my writing today is to talk to you about lease agreement we signed five months ago. I know we still have a month left on it. However, I would like to discuss about the possibilities of lease extension.

To start with, I have been enjoying my stay in this apartment and I am looking to extend my lease for 6 more months. If required, we could setup a formal meeting for further discussion and documentation.

As you are aware that my studies are ending next month and so do my lease; recently, I got approved for an internship in the same University as a Assistant Professor role, which I am very excited about and my primary reason for this extension.

However, I would also like to bring few problems I have been facing in the apartment. Firstly, due to low light in the living room, I am having hard time reading books and secondly, since last week bathroom door has started making some quirky noises. Kindly resolve them as quickly as possible.

Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated. Furthermore, an open line of communication, from your side, in this case would greatly help out.

Yours Sincerely,

Karan

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 (the internship), and identified specific maintenance issues. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter 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 transition between the request for extension and the maintenance issues is slightly smoother, as the shift feels a bit abrupt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'However', and 'Furthermore' to link ideas. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical. Additionally, there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'so do my lease', which is grammatically awkward and disrupts the flow. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall progression of the letter is easy to follow, which is a key requirement for this band.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'lease agreement', 'documentation', and 'cooperation'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'discuss about' (discuss is transitive) and 'quirky noises' (which sounds slightly informal or imprecise for a maintenance request; 'creaking' or 'unusual' would be better). You also use 'Assistant Professor role' correctly. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the lease agreement' (missing article), 'discuss about' (unnecessary preposition), and 'my studies are ending... and so do my lease' (incorrect verb tense/agreement). Additionally, 'I am having hard time' is missing an article ('a hard time'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as these are recurring issues throughout the text.

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

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