Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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.Smith,

I am writing to inform you that, I intend to stay for a longer period than my current lease agreement. Originally, I signed the apartment lease for six months based on my internship period which was tentatively six months, but due to my incredible work and focus, my internship time period has been extended for next six months. Due to this extension, I will have to stay longer in this city than expected and moving out again would be a hassle. Also, I would like to request to call a professional for a repair in the apartment, due to constant bad weather and flooding, the closet space in the apartment seems to have a water leak and it has been a concerning issue for me since few days to store all of my clothing. I would a prompt response on the issue in the apartment and consider my extension notice prior as it would help me plan out my stay accordingly.

Your's sincerely,

Deeksha Deshpande

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated the desired extension period, explained the change in plans due to your internship, and described the maintenance issue regarding the water leak. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the points is smoother and that the request for the repair is integrated more naturally into the overall structure of the letter. The ideas are relevant and well-developed for the purpose of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the purpose of the letter to the explanation and finally the request. However, the response is written as a single block of text. For a formal letter, it is essential to use clear paragraphing to separate the introduction, the body points, and the closing. While you use some cohesive devices like 'due to' and 'also', the lack of paragraph breaks makes the text feel slightly dense and less professional. Improving the paragraph structure would significantly enhance the flow and readability of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'lease agreement', 'tentatively', and 'prompt response'. There are some minor issues with collocation and phrasing, such as 'since few days' (should be 'for a few days') and 'consider my extension notice prior' (which is slightly awkward). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on more natural collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional-like structure in the final sentence. However, there are several grammatical errors, including punctuation issues (e.g., the unnecessary comma after 'that' in the first sentence) and article usage ('the next six months'). Additionally, 'Your's sincerely' is incorrect; it should be 'Yours sincerely'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and punctuation would be highly beneficial.

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

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