Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-06

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 Mr. Smith,

I am writing this letter to request you to extend my house-lease for one more year. Although I originally rented this apartment on a six-month agreement, I want to stay here until August 2027 because I am no longer moving out of province in September 2026.

Last year, I moved to Nova Scotia when I got a temporary job in Cape Breton regional hospital. Fortunately, I received a full-time permanent position due to which I have dropped my plans of going back to Ontario. Instead of finding a new apartment, I wish to stay here for another year as it would save my time of shifting to a different location.

Despite this fact that this accommodation offers all the comfort that I need, I would appreciate if you could renovate the kitchen. Since the hinges of some cabinets are broken, they need immediate repair to avoid major damages.

Kindly let me know if you need any further information for extending my agreement. I am open to discuss any changes in terms and conditions if needed.

Yours sincerely,

Jashanpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated the desired extension period, provided a logical explanation for your change in plans regarding your employment status, and identified a specific maintenance issue with the kitchen cabinets. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. You have maintained a consistent and professional tone throughout, which is essential for this task type.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which makes the letter easy to follow. You have used cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Fortunately', 'Instead of', and 'Despite this fact' effectively to link your sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the transition between the request for extension and the mention of the maintenance issue is smooth. The overall structure is coherent and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal request. Phrases like 'full-time permanent position', 'immediate repair', and 'terms and conditions' are used accurately. There is a minor collocation error in the phrase 'save my time of shifting', which would be more naturally expressed as 'save me the time and effort of moving'. However, this does not impede communication. You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'I would appreciate if you could...' and the concessive clause 'Despite this fact that...'. While there is a minor grammatical slip in 'Despite this fact that' (it should be 'Despite the fact that'), the majority of your sentences are error-free. Your control over punctuation and verb tenses is strong, and your grammar supports the formal tone of the letter effectively. The errors present are non-systematic and do not cause any confusion for the reader.

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

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