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 Jayesh

I hope this email finds you well

I am writing this email to formally request you that I am interested in extending my apartment agreement upto 1 year if that is possible .

To provide you with the complete picture , as you know I came to Hyderabad for my university internship but fortunately, my company has extended my contract for another 6 more moths due to which I am gonna stay longer here.

Although there are numerous apartments available , I would love. to stay in this one as here it feels like home and since I came here I really enjoy the neighbourhood here . Another reason is that my office is in 10 minutes distance only which makes it easier for me to commute .

However , I want to request you if you can fix the door lock as it is gonna be challenging for me to lock the door as that is the only issue I face these days .

Given the circumstances, outlined above , please accept my extension request and allow me to be your tenant for this year.

Thank you

Ritika

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change in plans (internship extension), and the issue with the door lock. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a landlord. The ideas are clearly presented and the purpose of the letter is immediately apparent. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the prompt effectively, demonstrating a clear understanding of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Another reason is', and 'Given the circumstances' are used to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is slightly inconsistent in terms of spacing, and some transitions could be smoother to improve the flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate and appropriate for the context of a formal letter. Phrases like 'formally request', 'complete picture', and 'given the circumstances' show a good grasp of functional language. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'upto 1 year' (should be 'up to') and 'in 10 minutes distance' (should be 'a 10-minute distance'). Despite these minor slips, the meaning is always clear and the range is sufficient for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the grammar is generally accurate, there are several punctuation errors, particularly with unnecessary spaces before commas (e.g., 'love. to', 'However ,', 'circumstances, outlined'). There are also minor grammatical slips such as 'request you that I am interested' (should be 'request to extend') and 'gonna' (which is too informal for this type of letter). These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent a higher score.

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

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