Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-08

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 6.5)

Dear Mr. Smith

I hope you are doing well, I am writing this to make a request, if you could allow me the extend my lease.

My lease started 5 month ago and it's ending next month, I am interested in renewing the lease for a period of one year. The reason of this appeal is that I came here to find a job and my initial plan was to go back to my town if I am unable to secure job in this city. Fortunately I found contract job near by this area and now company is offering me permanent position. This location is very convenient to travel to office due to easy commute facilities available just next to the apartment.

I also want to inform you about problem in this apartment which require immediate attention. Glass of the window in the bedroom is broken due to heavy winds and tornado last week. Through the night winds and water of rain coming in bedroom whenever there is rain.

Hope you will positively revert to my request of renewing lease and you will fix the window issue as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Sam

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated the desired extension period (one year), provided a logical explanation for the change in plans regarding your employment, and described the maintenance issue with the bedroom window. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. To reach a higher band, ensure that the opening and closing are more standard for a formal letter (e.g., 'Dear Mr. Smith,' followed by 'Yours sincerely,'). The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific requirement of the task. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Fortunately' and 'also', to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases. For instance, the transition between the explanation of your job and the mention of the window issue is somewhat abrupt. Improving the variety of cohesive devices would help the letter feel more natural and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, such as 'renewing the lease', 'convenient', and 'immediate attention'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'easy commute facilities' (better: 'convenient public transport links') and 'revert to my request' (better: 'respond to my request'). While these errors do not impede communication, they limit the precision of your writing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more natural collocations would enhance your 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 missing articles ('problem in this apartment', 'Glass of the window'), incorrect verb forms ('if you could allow me the extend'), and punctuation issues (comma splices in the opening). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that complex sentences are punctuated correctly.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.