Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-03

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 5.5)

Dear Mr. Khan,

I am writing to inform you to formally request an extension of my rental agreement for Khan's apartment at Surrey.

I would like to ask if it would be possible to extend my lease for an additional Twelve months, which would bring my tenancy to a total of eighteen months. However, our six-month tenancy agreement began five months ago and is scheduled to end on 15th September.

My plans have changed due to a work commitments, because my company has extended my project contract for another year. Since I have throughly enjoyed living here and It is convenient for daily commute, staying in this apartment would be Ideal.

Additionally, I would like to bring a minor issue to your apartment. The kitchen sink tap has a presis

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change, and a maintenance issue. However, the response is incomplete, as it cuts off mid-sentence at the end. Furthermore, the length is significantly below the 150-word requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the lack of a proper closing and the unfinished nature of the final paragraph mean that the task is not fully completed. To improve, ensure you expand on your reasons and provide a complete, coherent conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter uses basic paragraphing and some cohesive devices like 'Additionally' and 'However' to link ideas. The logical progression is generally clear, moving from the request to the reason and then to the maintenance issue. However, because the text ends abruptly, the overall coherence is disrupted. The use of referencing is generally adequate, but the mechanical nature of the transitions limits the flow. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are fully developed within each paragraph and that the letter concludes with a standard formal closing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for a formal letter, using phrases like 'formally request' and 'tenancy agreement'. There are some spelling errors, such as 'throughly' instead of 'thoroughly' and 'presis' (which is incomplete). The range is adequate for the task but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on accurate spelling and using more precise collocations, such as 'work commitments' rather than 'a work commitments'. Expanding your vocabulary to include more varied expressions for requesting and explaining would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I am writing to inform you to formally request' (redundant) and 'a work commitments' (article error). The sentence 'It is convenient for daily commute' is missing an article. While the meaning is generally clear, these errors occur frequently enough to be noticeable. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage. Ensure that you proofread your work to catch minor slips and incomplete sentences before finishing.

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

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