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 XYZ ,
Extension on renting apartment.
I am writing this letter to you regarding our apartment. My family is planning to stay at this place for another six months.
Recently, I just received an mail from my HR that they did not approve my vacation. Reason behind, company boss just got some health issue so he needs to visit Australia for surgery which means higher authorities will be in pressure for a month. As a senior supervisor it is my responsibility to stay in hard times with company. That why, me and my family seeking to stay here for another six months.
However, I would like to bring your attention to maintenance of a leaking tap. I am trying to fix it by myself from last two months but I believe we need to call professional plumber for repairing it. Adding to it, there is an tile broken in bathroom near the door which need to be repaired as well.
You sincerely
Abc
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change in plans, and the maintenance issues. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a landlord, although it leans slightly informal in places. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific details regarding the maintenance issues or use a more formal closing structure. Overall, the task is fully addressed, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the request to the explanation and finally to the maintenance issues. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'Adding to it' and 'That why' are slightly awkward or grammatically incorrect. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow and coherence of the text, moving it toward a higher band score.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate their needs effectively. There are some instances of unnatural phrasing, such as 'received an mail' (should be 'received an email') and 'higher authorities will be in pressure' (should be 'under pressure'). While the student attempts to use some specific vocabulary related to the situation, such as 'maintenance' and 'professional plumber', the range is somewhat limited. More precise word choices and better control over collocations would improve the lexical score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'Reason behind, company boss just got some health issue' (missing articles and awkward structure) and 'there is an tile broken' (incorrect article). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they are frequent enough to impact the overall accuracy. Increasing the number of error-free sentences and focusing on article usage and subject-verb agreement would help improve this score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.