Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Mr. John,

I am writing in regards to the apartment i rented five months ago along Burton street. I previously leased it for only 6 months and would like to talk about extending my lease but there are a couple of thing that require repair.

My rent is expected to expire in about 6 weeks which is why i decided to bring this up early. I would like to extent my stay for another one year.

I am making this change because i came into town for a building project and did not expect that a change in the weather conditions would affect my way. Therefore, i have been asked to stay longer than expected.

However, a couple of things need fixing so i can be comfortable. Firstly, the bathroom tap is broken and keeps leaking, then the fan in the bedroom suddenly stopped working and the room is infested with rats. I suggest that the exterminators are contacted so the rat problem can be sorted.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Sandra Miller.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state the desired extension period (one year), explain the change in plans due to a building project and weather conditions, and identify specific maintenance issues (leaking tap, broken fan, and pest infestation). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, and the ideas are developed sufficiently to meet the requirements of the task. No parts of the prompt were omitted, and the information provided is relevant and coherent.

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 prompt, which helps the reader follow your train of thought. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'However', and 'Firstly' to link your ideas. While the flow is generally good, the transition between the request for an extension and the mention of the maintenance issues could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure supports the message effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'extending my lease', 'weather conditions', and 'infested with rats' are used correctly and fit the context well. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'talk about extending' (which could be more formal) and 'affect my way' (which is slightly unnatural). However, these do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations and a slightly more formal tone throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some recurring grammatical errors, such as the failure to capitalize the personal pronoun 'I' in several instances ('i rented', 'i decided', 'i came'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and agreement errors, such as 'a couple of thing' (should be 'things') and 'the exterminators are contacted' (passive voice is fine, but the phrasing is slightly clunky). Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the grammar does not prevent the reader from understanding your request.

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

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