Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-11

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 Sir,

I am writing a letter to discuss renting this apartment for an extended period. As my 6-month contract is ending soon, I wanted to ask if it is possible to extend the contract for another 6 months.

Initially, I planned to move out by the official contract's end date, but that changed. One of the main reasons is that I got my mother-in-law's visa. As you know, I am currently pregnant, and my expected due date is in one month, so it is very difficult for me to move the heavy things out alone. As my husband is also not feeling well.

There is a significant issue I have wanted to let you know about for a long time: heating. As we have noticed many times that the heating is not working properly, and my baby will be delivered in winter, we are worried that it will be difficult for us if this issue is not addressed within a reasonable time.

Thank you for your support and understanding. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Pooja

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change in plans (pregnancy and family support), and the maintenance issue regarding the heating. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a landlord. The ideas are clearly presented, though the explanation regarding the mother-in-law's visa could be more explicitly linked to why this necessitates staying in the apartment. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader is fully informed of the situation and the required action.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'As', and 'Therefore' are used to connect sentences, although some transitions could be more varied. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. While the flow is generally smooth, the connection between the second and third paragraphs could be slightly more refined to improve the overall cohesion of the request.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and conveys the message clearly. There is an attempt to use some specific terminology related to the situation, such as 'extended period' and 'reasonable time'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and some phrasing is slightly repetitive or basic, such as 'move the heavy things out'. To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more precise collocations and a wider variety of descriptive language to express their circumstances more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the sentence fragment 'As my husband is also not feeling well' and the awkward phrasing 'I got my mother-in-law's visa'. Additionally, 'I am writing a letter to discuss' is slightly redundant. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more consistent control over complex sentence construction and punctuation. The majority of the content is understandable, but greater accuracy in sentence formation is required for a higher score.

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

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