Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 Max,

I am writing you regarding the change of plans in my rental agreement. Since we agreed on a 6 month signed agreement. I would like to extend that lease to other 6 months.

Recently during this month, my boss extended my project. Because of this reason I will have to extend my stay in this apartment. Since the project has been shifted from 6 months to 12 months duration. I will have to stay for another six months.

Lastly, I would like to discuss about one issue I am facing during my stay at your place. The shower in the master bedroom is quite broken. Since past few weeks, the water pressure is relatively slow than earlier. I would like you to take a look at this issue before signing the new lease. As I have very busy schedules during weekdays, it has been a major problem during the start of my day.

I am open to discuss any new changes for extension of my stay and would like to get the fixes made as soon as possible. Thank you for the hospitality during past few months. I am looking forward to your decision.

Yours faithfully,

Malav Shah

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly state the desired extension length, provide a logical reason for the change in plans, and describe the issue with the shower. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a landlord. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the project extension and the lease extension is articulated with slightly more professional phrasing, but overall, the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for the request and the maintenance issue, and a polite closing. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Because of this reason' and 'Lastly', although some transitions are slightly repetitive or mechanical. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the reader can easily follow your argument. To improve, try to vary the linking words to avoid starting multiple sentences with 'Since' or 'Because', which will make the flow feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'extend that lease' and 'hospitality' are used correctly. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'quite broken' (which sounds unnatural; 'malfunctioning' or 'not working properly' would be better) and 'the water pressure is relatively slow' (pressure is usually described as 'low' rather than 'slow'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the vocabulary from reaching a higher band. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and precise verbs would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'Since we agreed on a 6 month signed agreement' (a sentence fragment) and 'Since past few weeks' (should be 'For the past few weeks'). Additionally, 'discuss about' is a common error; 'discuss' should be used without the preposition 'about'. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the majority of your sentences are accurate. To improve, focus on eliminating minor prepositional errors and ensuring that all sentences are complete, rather than relying on fragments.

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

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