Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-20

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 7.5)

Dear Landlord,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have come to realize that this is my fifth month in this apartment and I had an agreement for six months to rent this apartment. That means next month is supposed to be my last month. However, I was wondering if you can let me extend my lease agreement.

Since I have been offered a permanent full-time position where I am currently working, I would highly appreciate if we can make another lease document for a year. This place is really beautiful, comfortable and most importantly, close to my work place which saves my time for commute.

The only problem I have been having with the apartment is that the water is sometimes way too cold. I was hoping if you could look into that for me and hopefully fix it before winter starts, that would be awesome. Other than that I do not have any issues at all with the place.

Please do let me know what you think about extending my lease.

Thank you,

Sakshi Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly state your desire to extend the lease for one year, provide a logical reason for the change (a new permanent job), and identify the specific issue regarding the water temperature. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a landlord. The purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning, and the ideas are developed sufficiently to meet the requirements of the task. No parts of the prompt were omitted, and the response maintains a consistent, professional tone throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which makes the letter easy to follow. You use appropriate paragraphing and basic cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Since', and 'Other than that' to link your ideas. The transition between the request for an extension and the mention of the maintenance issue is smooth. The structure is coherent, and the information is presented in a logical sequence that guides the reader effectively from the introduction to the closing.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'extend my lease agreement' and 'permanent full-time position' are accurate and appropriate for the context. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is somewhat standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or precise terminology. For instance, instead of 'make another lease document', you could use 'renew the tenancy agreement'. There are no spelling errors, and the word choices are consistently appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors. For example, 'I was hoping if you could look into that' is slightly informal in structure, but it does not impede communication. You use a variety of verb tenses correctly, such as the present perfect continuous ('have been having') and the future ('will be'). Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The writing is clear, and the control over sentence construction is strong enough to ensure that the message is conveyed without ambiguity.

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

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