Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
Dear Mr. Shankar,
I am delivering my thoughts on regarding to increase my stay at your property in this letter.
Earlier it was agreement to live for five months, but fortunately, I want to extend that period to one year. So, therefore, please allow me to do it effectively.
The main reason to divert my focus is work. Moreover, the contract that I had received from the firm was for more than one quarter. But, due to the workload that accelerated to a year. As a result, that created my mind to follow that decision preciously and ask you to overstay in the apartment.
Unfortunately, I would like to generate one issue of water drainage system, in addition, the pipeline got stuck. I am requesting you to solve this problem instantly without waiting for more days.
I hope you understand my ideas appropriately and I am looking forward for your prompt response.
King regards,
Dhaval Thakkar
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The letter covers all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change, and the maintenance issue. However, the tone is occasionally inconsistent and some phrasing is unnatural, such as 'delivering my thoughts' and 'overstay in the apartment'. The explanation regarding the work contract is somewhat confusingly expressed, which slightly impacts the clarity of the message. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the development of ideas lacks the natural flow expected in a formal request. To improve, ensure that the language used is appropriate for a formal landlord-tenant relationship.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover', 'As a result', and 'In addition'. However, some of these are used mechanically or incorrectly, such as 'So, therefore' (a redundancy) and 'in addition' placed awkwardly within the sentence about the drainage issue. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the transitions between sentences could be smoother to improve the overall flow. Paragraphing is present and appropriate for a formal letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and natural collocation. Phrases like 'divert my focus', 'follow that decision preciously', and 'generate one issue' are either misused or unnatural in this context. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the choice of words often sounds like a direct translation rather than natural English. To reach a higher band, focus on learning common collocations used in formal correspondence, such as 'extend the lease' rather than 'increase my stay' or 'report a maintenance issue' instead of 'generate one issue'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Earlier it was agreement' (missing article), 'due to the workload that accelerated to a year' (fragmented/unclear clause), and 'looking forward for' (incorrect preposition; should be 'to'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. The control over sentence structure is limited, and the misuse of prepositions and articles suggests a need for more careful proofreading of basic grammatical rules.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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