Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear Mr. Josh,

I am writing this to request for the extension of my six-months renting agreement which is expiring coming month on date 30 September2026 and also wanted to inform you regarding increasing pests problem in the apartment number 307.

In regarding my agreement extension, kindly increase this agreement policy further 2 months, the sudden change is arise because of my family gathering, which will be arriving next mouth

Finally, I wanted you to resolve an pressing issue of rats in the apartment which is basically due to the street restorant located near to apartment.

Thank you,

Your Faithfully,

Vikrant

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While you have addressed all three bullet points—requesting an extension, explaining the reason, and mentioning the pest problem—the development of these ideas is very limited. The explanation for the change in plans is brief and lacks detail, and the description of the pest issue is underdeveloped. To improve, you must expand on your ideas by providing more context, such as describing the family gathering or detailing the impact of the pests on your daily life, to ensure the response is sufficiently long and informative.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is logically organized into three short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is minimal and somewhat mechanical. For example, the transition 'In regarding my agreement extension' is awkward and grammatically incorrect. The use of 'Finally' to introduce the last point is appropriate, but the overall flow between sentences is disjointed. To achieve a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'due to the fact that') to create a smoother progression of ideas between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the range and precision expected for higher bands. There are several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'request for the extension' (should be 'request an extension'), 'arise because of' (should be 'arisen because of'), and 'restorant' (spelling error). The phrasing is often repetitive and lacks sophistication. To improve, focus on using more natural collocations and ensuring accurate spelling. Expanding your vocabulary to include more formal, topic-specific terms related to property management would also help elevate your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'is expiring coming month' (missing article), 'is arise' (incorrect verb tense), and 'an pressing issue' (incorrect article). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. To improve, you should practice using a wider variety of grammatical structures, such as relative clauses or conditional sentences. Additionally, pay closer attention to basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as these errors are currently quite frequent.

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.