Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-15

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. Carlo,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to ask you to extend my rental agreement, which is supposed to be end in next month.

I would like to rent the apartment for at least one year. According to my recent rental agreement I have to leave it next month, but due to some feasible reasons, I have to stay longer.

Currently, I am working for Sun Rise Company and they mentioned that I have to work on same project for next year. So I decided to stay on the same place because of it's convenient location and helps me to reduce my expense to search for new place.

Although the place itself is truly convenient, there are certain parts needs improvements, such as the heating system is not working properly, which makes nights unfortable. In addition, the leakage in kitchnen sink can cause accidental problems, especially at night.

Before signing our agreement, I would like to request you to look into this matter and send some professional to invesigate the problem.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours faithfully,

Deepika

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change in plans, and the maintenance issue. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a landlord. The ideas are clearly presented and logically developed, meeting the requirements of the task. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, and the request for repairs is integrated naturally into the overall message. The response is well-structured and covers all necessary information to satisfy the prompt requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which aids readability. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'In addition', and 'So' are used to link ideas effectively. While the transition between the request for extension and the maintenance issue is functional, the flow could be slightly smoother with more varied linking phrases. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with clear communication of intent. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'feasible reasons' (which is slightly unnatural in this context) and 'accidental problems'. However, the student uses relevant terminology like 'rental agreement', 'convenient location', and 'professional'. The range is sufficient to convey the message clearly, though it lacks a wider variety of sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items that would be required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'supposed to be end in next month' (should be 'ending next month'), 'stay on the same place' (should be 'in'), and 'certain parts needs improvements' (should be 'need'). Additionally, there are minor spelling errors like 'unfortable' and 'kitchnen'. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the letter, and the mistakes do not significantly impede the reader's understanding of the request.

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

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