Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter in order to notify you regarding the possible change of plan on the previously committed lease with respect to your apartment I am currently residing in.

Firstly, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart that when I needed the most and did not know anyone in this new country , I could manage to find you who trusted me and gave his apartment on lease. I had to move to a new country for a new job position which was of prime importance for my career advancement.

I had originally signed a lease in February of this year for six months and it have really enjoyed my stay here. However, I just got a notice yesterday from my work , that the project I was assigned to and was going to be completed within five months of timeframe, is now up for an extension for closely same duration.

I am writing to you with a hope that I would be able to continue in this apartment for another six months with an extension in the contract and possibly same rent. We can however, discuss any changes in rent etc. It would be really helpful if I can get this extension on my lease since I would like to concentrate and work on this project at this time and not worry about packing and moving hassle. Furthermore, I am now used to this area and people around and got familiar to means of transportation and would love it to be the same way.

Secondly, With the above notice, I wanted to even let you know regarding a plumbing related issue in the apartment. Since past week or so ,I had been seeing the water was draining slowly from the bathroom sink. Today, I see the water is clogged and I am unable to use the bathroom sink at all. I would like to get the bathroom sink fixed as soon as possible and let me know if I need to be there when the plumber is in and we can try to get him after working hours on weekdays or anytime weekend with advanced notice.

I really appreciate everything you have done for the past five months and would love to extend the lease for another six months if possible. Thank you for your consideration in advance and hoping to hear back from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Andy

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 length, provide a logical reason for the change in plans (a work project extension), and report the maintenance issue regarding the bathroom sink. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the communication is clear throughout. You have fully satisfied the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each main point, and a polite closing. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'Secondly' to guide the reader. While the transition between the request for extension and the plumbing issue is slightly abrupt, the overall progression of ideas is clear. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different topics, making the letter easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a formal request. Phrases like 'prime importance', 'career advancement', and 'advanced notice' are used effectively. There are some minor awkward collocations, such as 'closely same duration' (should be 'roughly the same duration') and 'got familiar to' (should be 'became familiar with'). However, these do not impede communication and you show an ability to use more sophisticated language throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'it have really enjoyed' (should be 'I have really enjoyed') and 'Since past week or so' (should be 'For the past week or so'). Additionally, there are some minor punctuation and article errors. Despite these, the majority of your sentences are clear and error-free, and the meaning is never in doubt. Your control of complex structures is generally good.

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

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