Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-16

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 am writing this letter to request you to change my rental agreement up to a year instead of six month which I have previously signed.

The reason for this change is, I got promoted on my job on a senior position for which I need to stay here for at least a year. I know I previously told you that I just needed for six month because I thought I cloud change my job for better opportunity but the present firm offered me this great position which I can't refuse. The package includes all facilities which I was hoping like travel, insurance and health benefits. I am feeling that I am on cloud nine.

The another issue I am currently facing is the kitchen tap water is leaking continuously, I tried calling plumber who fixed it recently but now he is not picking up the calls. Can you please call him and tell him to fix the issue because I may be using the kitchen allot as I have change my mind.

Apart from it I know that the lease will be over next month, I want to renew it with present rent allocating to it and send it to me on my mail. I will sign and repost back to you.

I hope you have no issues about rental agreement, please let me know if you have anything in mind.

Your Sincerely,

Ayesha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: 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 slightly uneven. While the explanation for the job promotion is clear, the request regarding the lease renewal is a bit repetitive and could have been integrated more smoothly. The purpose of the letter is clear throughout, and the reader is left with no doubt about the writer's intentions. Overall, the task is fully addressed, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. The progression of ideas is generally clear, moving from the request to the explanation, then to the maintenance issue, and finally the administrative request. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The reason for this change is' and 'Apart from it', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The use of referencing is generally effective, although the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be improved for better cohesion. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow, justifying a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their needs clearly. There are some attempts at less common idiomatic language, such as 'on cloud nine', which is used correctly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'change my rental agreement up to a year' (instead of 'extend') and 'present rent allocating to it'. Additionally, there are minor errors like 'allot' instead of 'a lot'. While these do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage to reach a higher band.

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 'six month' (should be plural 'months'), 'I cloud change' (spelling error for 'could'), and 'I have change my mind' (should be 'changed'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some run-on sentences and missing articles. While the meaning remains clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching the Band 7 level, where a higher frequency of error-free sentences is expected. The current level of accuracy is consistent with a Band 6.0.

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

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