Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-18

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 5.5)

Mr. Aman

I hope you are doing well . My name is Puneet and I am tenet of your apartment last 5 month and the rent agreement was done for 6 month only and I want to extend it .

Five month ago I have no job and i was searching a job and i got a very good bar tender near my apartment it pays very good and I love my job very much. Now I am got permotion now my full time job is bar manager and which is very appriciate . My agreement is expired next month so I want to extend it for next 1 year . Recently a problem I was faced last few days it was a lift servicing is not doing well so kindly maintaine lift as per servicing schedual .

I hope you looking this matter .

Regards ,

Puneet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change in plans, and the maintenance issue. However, the letter is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the score. The ideas are relevant but could be developed with more detail to fully satisfy the task requirements. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord, though the lack of a formal closing (e.g., 'Yours sincerely') and the brevity of the content prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure you expand on your points to meet the word count and use a more standard formal letter structure.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and somewhat mechanical. For example, the transition between the job update and the maintenance issue is abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'which is very appriciate', which lacks a clear antecedent. To improve, use a wider range of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'Furthermore', 'Consequently', 'In addition to this') to connect sentences and ideas more fluidly, and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several spelling errors ('tenet' instead of 'tenant', 'appriciate' instead of 'appreciated', 'schedual' instead of 'schedule') and word choice issues ('bar tender' instead of 'bartender', 'doing well' instead of 'functioning properly'). While the meaning is generally clear, the limited range of vocabulary prevents a higher band score. To improve, focus on learning collocations related to renting and maintenance, and proofread your work to correct basic spelling mistakes that distract the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb tenses ('I have no job' instead of 'I had no job', 'I am got permotion' instead of 'I have received a promotion') and article usage. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with spaces placed before commas and periods. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on mastering basic verb tenses and sentence construction, and practice using complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions to add variety to your writing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.