Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
Dear Landlord,
I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to just inform you that I want to stay in your apartment for longer than the six months.
As you know, I am a student. I have been living in your apartment for 4 months, and I am staying there for six months according to the agreement. But now my plan has been changed. I decide to stay there mora than six months.
In addition, I wanted to change my location earlier, but now my university gives new updates regarding classes. They will be starting online classes from next semester, so I have no need to go to the university on a daily basis so I can stay there without any issue.
Furthermore, all facilities are provided by you, but these days, I am suffering from a kitchen problem. In other words, the kitchen sink is leaking, so please solve this problem as soon as possible.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Sunpreet Kaur.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change, and the maintenance issue. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the duration of the extension is mentioned as 'longer than six months' without specifying a concrete timeframe, which would be more helpful in a real-world context. The explanation regarding university updates is clear, and the maintenance request is direct. Overall, the response fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each focusing on a specific requirement of the task. The use of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', and 'In other words' helps to guide the reader through the text. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, and the paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different topics, which contributes to the overall readability of the letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their needs clearly. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'I decide to stay there mora than six months' (should be 'I have decided') and 'suffering from a kitchen problem'. While the range is sufficient to convey the message, there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary that would elevate the response to a higher band. Spelling is generally accurate, with the exception of the typo 'mora'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'my plan has been changed' (passive voice is unnecessary here; 'my plans have changed' is more natural) and 'I have no need to go' (slightly awkward phrasing). Tense usage is generally consistent, but there are minor slips in verb agreement and word choice. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout, and the grammatical mistakes do not impede communication. A greater variety of complex structures would improve the score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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