Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-23

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 5.0)

Dear Land lord,

I hope you doing will, would like to inform you that I will be unable to evacuate the apartment after one month.

I know the agreement was only for 6 months and i have to evacuate the apartment next month but in current severe winter weather unable to find a new apartment. So request you to extend the stay agreement for three more months.

The apartment having a issue of boiler so hot water for shower and kitchen and my family is suffering a lot because of that issue, i hope you will arrange to some to repair it soon.

I will be very gratefully for you if consider my request for three months longer stay and to resolve the issue.

this extend the stays these days I have some uncertain isusues

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change, and the maintenance issue. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the lack of development in the explanation of the boiler issue and the personal circumstances limits the score. To improve, you should expand on your points with more detail and ensure you meet the minimum word count requirement to fully develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the request for an extension and the mention of the boiler issue is abrupt. The final paragraph is disjointed and does not contribute to the overall flow of the letter. To improve, use a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'in addition to this') to connect your ideas more smoothly and logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which restricts the ability to convey the message with precision. There are several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'evacuate the apartment' (which implies leaving during an emergency rather than moving out) and 'arrange to some to repair it' (which is grammatically incorrect and lacks the correct noun). The phrase 'uncertain isusues' is also vague. To improve, focus on learning specific collocations related to renting and maintenance, such as 'vacate the premises' or 'schedule a repair'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I hope you doing will' (missing auxiliary verb and spelling error), 'The apartment having a issue' (incorrect verb form), and 'I will be very gratefully' (incorrect word form). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas and the fragmented final paragraph. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of adjectives versus adverbs would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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