Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing to inform you that there have been some changes in plans and I would like to extend my stay in your apartment.

As earlier, we had agreed for a six month tenancy agreement, and I was supposed to vacate it by the end of this month. However, I have to extend it now by another six months, from September 2026 to Februrary 2027.

This is because my internship has been extended by another six months. Therefore, I will be staying in the same city for a longer period of time and doesn't want to move to a new place as I like this apartment.

Moreover, I want to bring it your notice that the sink faucet in the kitchen has started leaking again. If you could send a plumber soon to have it checked, it would prevent further leaking issues.

I hope my extended stay doesn't cause you any inconvenience, and I look foward for your email with the confirmation of the tenancy extention.

Yours sincerely,

Rashpal Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state the desired extension period, provide a logical reason for the change (internship extension), and report the maintenance issue regarding the leaking faucet. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter 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 information is missing, and the response maintains a consistent focus throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific point, which makes the information easy to follow. You use appropriate cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Therefore', and 'Moreover' to link your ideas effectively. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The transition between the request for an extension and the mention of the maintenance issue is smooth and natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal request. Phrases like 'tenancy agreement', 'vacate', and 'inconvenience' are used correctly. There are a few minor spelling errors, such as 'Februrary' and 'foward', which are minor slips rather than systematic issues. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning precisely and professionally. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated collocations or varied synonyms for common verbs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free and easy to understand. There is a minor subject-verb agreement error in the phrase 'doesn't want to move' (should be 'do not want'), and a slight preposition error in 'bring it your notice' (should be 'bring to your notice'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. Your control over punctuation and sentence structure is generally strong.

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

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