Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

Hope you are doing well. I am staying in your apartment from six months according to the agreement i signed with you. I really like your apartment. Since i am living in your apartment i have no issues at all Like water, electricity and any mechanical issue.

But recently my plans have changed. As you know i am buying a house in next few weeks. but there is a little delay in buying house according to my realtor. yesterday he call me and said that there is a delay for moving because there is a bank issue related to the mortgage.

So, i want to extend my agreement for approximately one month more.

and as i mentioned above that i have not issues in the apartment since i am living here but there is an one issue which bother me every week is a gas stove it automatically stopped when i am cooking. so please take a look on that.

I will be very thankful of you.

Your Sincerely,

Atul

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change in plans, and the mention of a maintenance issue. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation regarding the mortgage issue is a bit repetitive, and the request for the extension could be more clearly linked to the specific dates. Despite these minor points, the purpose of the letter is clear and the reader is fully informed of the situation, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the narrative. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Transitions such as 'But recently' and 'So, i want to' are functional but basic. There are also some issues with referencing; for example, the phrase 'as i mentioned above that i have not issues' is slightly awkward and repetitive. While the overall progression of ideas is clear, the lack of a wider range of linking words and occasional lapses in flow prevent a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their needs effectively. There are some attempts at topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'mortgage' and 'realtor', which is positive. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'mechanical issue' instead of 'maintenance issue' and 'there is an one issue which bother me' instead of 'there is one issue that bothers me'. The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but it lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses and articles. For example, 'I am staying in your apartment from six months' should be 'I have been staying in your apartment for six months', and 'yesterday he call me' should be 'yesterday he called me'. Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as the inconsistent use of capital letters for 'I'. These errors are noticeable but do not significantly impede communication, placing the response in the Band 5.5 to 6.0 range.

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

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