Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-31

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 Landlord, I am writing to inform you regarding my stay in the apartment. Firstly, after renting your apartment, I have planned to stay their for only six-month as I have six-month agreement with you, but now I want to extend my lease agreement for 1 year. Moreover, because of the changes in the plans, now I wish to stay in the apartment more than six months. There are some reasons behind this. Firstly, I have planned to complete my 1 year experience as a supervisor in a company where I am working now as it will boost the job opportunity and I commute to work by public transport as it is convenient. Secondly, I am also planning to clear my accounting exam as my coaching center is also close to my renting apartment which takes few minutes to reach. However, I am extremely disappointing with the heating systemin the apartment as it is not working properly which sometime cause considerable inconvenience. I tried to fix it myself, but I was unable to resolve it. I would appreciate it if you could arrange for a technician to inspect it. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours Faithfully, Amandeep Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated the desired extension period, provided logical reasons for your change in plans (career and study goals), and reported the heating issue. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. To improve, ensure that you do not repeat information; for example, you mentioned the six-month agreement and your desire to stay longer in both the first and second paragraphs. Consolidating these points would make your letter more concise and professional. Overall, the message is clear and the purpose of the letter is fully achieved.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. You use transition signals such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'However' to guide the reader through your points. However, the paragraphing is somewhat inconsistent; the first two paragraphs contain overlapping information, which disrupts the flow. Additionally, some cohesive devices are used slightly mechanically. To reach a higher band, focus on creating a more seamless transition between your personal reasons for staying and the request regarding the apartment maintenance. Ensure that each paragraph has a distinct focus to improve the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message effectively. Phrases like 'extend my lease agreement' and 'considerable inconvenience' are well-chosen. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and form, such as 'stay their' (should be 'there') and 'disappointing' (should be 'disappointed'). You also repeat the word 'apartment' frequently. To improve, try to use synonyms like 'property', 'residence', or 'unit' to avoid repetition. Expanding your range of collocations will help you achieve a higher score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I have planned to stay their for only six-month' (should be 'six months') and 'heating systemin' (missing space). Additionally, there are some tense inconsistencies, such as 'I have planned to stay' when referring to a past agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and pluralization to improve your accuracy.

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

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