Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-25

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 Raj,

I am writing this letter to extend my lease agreement that is about to end next month. I rented a 2 BHK apartment in Calgary Downtown five months ago for six months , which I want to extend for another one year due to changes in my current circumstances.

I am basically from Edmonton but I relocated to Calgary for my work contact which was initially 6 months in length. But due to increase in workload my company wants me to work in their Calgary office for another one year due to which I have to extend my lease term. Moreover I prefer to live here in your place because it is very convenient for me and its just a few steps away from my workplace.

I also want to bring your attention to a concern I have in your premises. Firstly, there are total four lifts in your apartment out of which only three are in working condition. As you know I live on 10th floor so everyday I have to wait for elevator which is quite frustating.

I hope you will address this concern as soon as possible. Looking forward to sign a new agreement with you.

Regards,

Rahul

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated the desired extension period (one year), provided a logical reason for the change (work contract extension), and identified a specific maintenance issue (the broken elevator). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter 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 transition between the request and the complaint is slightly smoother to maintain a professional flow throughout the correspondence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Firstly', and 'As you know' to link your ideas effectively. The progression of information is easy to follow. However, some cohesive links are slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your sentence starters and use more sophisticated referencing to connect the problem with the elevator to the impact it has on your daily routine, rather than relying on simple conjunctions.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. Phrases like 'relocated', 'circumstances', and 'bring your attention to' are used correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'work contact' (should be 'work contract') and 'in your premises' (should be 'on your premises'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the vocabulary from being considered highly flexible or sophisticated. Focusing on more precise collocations will help you achieve a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'As you know I live on 10th floor so everyday I have to wait...'. There are some grammatical slips, such as missing articles ('on the 10th floor') and minor punctuation errors. Additionally, 'Looking forward to sign' should be 'Looking forward to signing'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not cause confusion for the reader. To improve, focus on article usage and ensuring that gerunds are used correctly after specific phrasal verbs.

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

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