Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

Dear Sir,

I hope this message finds you well. The purpose of my writing today is to request you to extend my rental agreement (for apartment number 34) which is ending this coming month.

I completely understand that this is short notice, but it would be helpful if you could continue my agreement for the next six months. I am also willing to pay the penalty fees for the late notice.

You may have recalled that when we first signed documents, I mentioned that my employment contract might get extended according to my work performance. So, yesterday, my employer mentioned that I performed really well at my job and they want me to stay with them for the next half year. Consequently, I need to extend my apartment contract too.

Although this place is so comfortable and perfect for me, the water system sometimes starts malfunctioning. The kitchen tap does not properly run hot water especially in the winter. I would appreciate it if you could look into this matter at your earliest convenience.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Gurkirat 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 of six months, provide a logical explanation regarding your employment contract, and report the specific issue with the water system. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord, and the purpose is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, meeting the requirements of the task effectively. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail regarding the water issue, such as how long it has been occurring, to further enhance the development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific point, which makes the letter easy to follow. You use appropriate cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'although', and 'in addition' (implied through structure) to link your sentences and paragraphs. The opening and closing are standard and professional. The paragraphing is sufficient and contributes to the overall clarity of the message. The flow between the request for extension and the explanation of the change in plans is smooth and natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal letter. Phrases such as 'at your earliest convenience', 'malfunctioning', and 'consideration' are used correctly and add a professional tone to the writing. While the vocabulary is accurate and sufficient for the task, it remains somewhat standard. To achieve a higher score, you could incorporate more precise or sophisticated collocations, such as 'prolong my tenancy' instead of 'continue my agreement' or 'persistent issue' instead of 'problem'. Overall, the lexical range is adequate and there are no errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. For example, the use of 'Although this place is so comfortable... the water system sometimes starts malfunctioning' shows good control over complex sentence construction. There are very few errors; the sentence 'You may have recalled that when we first signed documents' is grammatically sound. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The majority of your sentences are error-free, which indicates a high level of control. Continued practice with more varied complex structures would further strengthen this area.

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