Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-29

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 6.5)

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing to request you about that I am willing to extend my lease agreement for an extra 2 months. As you know, I moved here because the hospital is near your apartment. For some reason, I had to stay longer.

Let me explain the situation: my mother had recent eye surgery, and the doctor has given us back-to-back appointments for the next two months. This location is convenient for us because my mother can go easily by walking. As you know that, me and my husband are full time working So it is difficult for us to take long leaves.

Additionally, I want to inform you that there is some wall leakage in the bathroom. We noticed it yesterday because rainwater was coming in; it needs urgent attention. It can be worse it is not immediately repaired.

I would like to hear back from you.

Yours sincerely,

Amanat Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state the desired extension period (two months), provide a logical reason for the change (mother's medical appointments), and report the maintenance issue (bathroom wall leakage). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific details regarding the maintenance issue, such as the exact location of the leak or your availability for a repair visit, which would further develop the ideas and demonstrate a more sophisticated approach to the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'As you know', which help the flow of information. However, the transition between the explanation of your mother's health and your work situation is slightly abrupt. Improving the use of linking phrases to connect these ideas would enhance the overall cohesion. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'extend my lease agreement', 'convenient', and 'urgent attention'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'request you about that' (should be 'request that') and 'me and my husband' (should be 'my husband and I'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it is somewhat basic. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items related to property management or formal requests to elevate the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'It can be worse it is not immediately repaired' (which is a run-on sentence and lacks a conjunction) and 'the doctor has given us back-to-back appointments'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. To achieve a higher band, focus on ensuring that complex sentences are punctuated correctly and that subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text. Increasing the variety of complex structures would also be beneficial.

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

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