Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-10

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask if it would be possible to extend my rental agreement, which is due to expires in one month. I have been very comfortable living in the apartment and would now like to stay for additional six months.

Initially, I planned to move to another city after completing my six-month agreement because I expected to find a job here. However, my circumstances have recently changed. I have been offered a longer-term position with my current employer, so I would prefer to remain in the area. In addition, I have become familiar with the neighborhood and have found it convenient for both work and my daily needs. Therefore, staying in the apartment would be much more practical for me.

However, There is one issue in the apartment that I would appreciate your help with. The bathroom exhaust fan has not been working properly for the past few weeks. As a result, the bathroom remain damp for quite a long time after I take a shower, and I am concerned that this could eventually cause mold or damage. I would be grateful if you could arrange for someone to inspect and repair it.

please let me know if you are happy to extend the tenancy for another six months and whether there are any changes to the current rental terms.

Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Vijay

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated the desired extension period, provided a logical explanation for your change in plans regarding your employment, and described the specific maintenance issue with the bathroom fan. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord, and the purpose of the communication is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, meeting all the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which makes the letter easy to follow. You have used a range of cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'However', 'In addition', and 'Therefore' to link your sentences and paragraphs effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure follows a standard formal letter format, which contributes to the coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context of renting and maintenance. Phrases like 'rental agreement', 'longer-term position', and 'arrange for someone to inspect' are used accurately. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items could elevate the score further, but the current range is sufficient for a high band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. However, there are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'due to expires' (should be 'due to expire') and 'the bathroom remain damp' (should be 'remains damp'). Additionally, there is a minor punctuation error with the capitalization of 'There' in the third paragraph. Despite these occasional slips, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and the meaning is always clear, which is consistent with a strong performance.

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

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