Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-12

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 sir,

I am pleased to inform you that your apartment felt like home to me in past 5 years and I have enjoyed living here a lot.

I initially came here for my internship which was originally for 6 months but now it has been extended for a year. I know you only rent your apartment for only only 6 months and I will be more than delighted to continue living here for the rest of my internship. Your apartment offers the best view and neighbourhood in the area. I thoroughly enjoyed living here as the location is really convenient and ideal.

On a separate note, I need to bring a minor maintenance issue to your attention. For the past few days, there has been a slow, persistent leak coming from the pipe underneath the kitchen sink. I have placed a bucket underneath to catch the water for now, but it will require a proper repair soon to prevent any lasting water damage to the wooden cabinetry.

Yours sincerely,

Prachi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: stating the desired extension, explaining the change in plans, and reporting the maintenance issue. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. However, there is a significant factual inconsistency: you mention having lived there for '5 years' in the opening, but the prompt states you have only been there for 'five months' on a 'six-month agreement'. This contradiction confuses the reader and impacts the clarity of your request. To improve, ensure your supporting details align strictly with the scenario provided in the task instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On a separate note' to transition to the maintenance issue and 'for now' to describe your temporary solution. However, the progression of ideas is slightly hampered by the factual error mentioned in the task achievement section. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, and the letter follows a standard formal structure. To reach a higher band, ensure that your referencing is consistent throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal letter, using terms like 'maintenance issue', 'persistent leak', and 'cabinetry'. The language is generally natural and precise. There is a minor repetition of the word 'only' in the second paragraph ('only rent your apartment for only only 6 months'), which is a slip in control. Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly and effectively, with a good level of formality maintained throughout the correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I have placed a bucket underneath to catch the water for now, but it will require a proper repair soon'. Most sentences are clear and error-free. There is a minor tense inconsistency in the opening sentence ('your apartment felt like home to me in past 5 years'), which should be 'has felt like home to me over the past five months'. Despite this, your control of grammar is generally strong, and errors do not impede communication.

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

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