Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Dear Aravinth,

I am writing this letter to concern you about continuing the apartment for longtime.

My plans has changed due to job and my collegue hasn't interested me to leave the apartment. I will pay my rent in my advance moreover i will give my six months rent as advance. I need this apartment for more than one year. For my further jobs , the apartment is nearby, so that i can't change the room.

My manager gave me promotion for my job moreover he gives priority to me for helping to do my job. So that the room is essential for that i will stay in this apartment.so my plan has changed due to this condition.

The dustbin outside apartment area should be cleaned daily regular basics. For your kind information you have to check the apartment and solve the problem. Many people near the apartment doesn't switch off the light in morning.

Thank you for consider my letter , looking forward to your reply

yours sincerely,

Dinesh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change in plans, and a maintenance issue. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat repetitive and lacks clarity. For instance, the explanation regarding the job promotion and the colleague's influence is confusingly phrased, making it difficult for the reader to follow the logic. While the task requirements are met, the tone is inconsistent and the explanation of the change in plans is not fully coherent, which limits the effectiveness of the communication.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression between sentences is often weak. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as the repetitive use of 'moreover' and 'so that'. The transition between the request for an extension and the maintenance issue is abrupt. While the overall structure is clear enough to follow, the lack of smooth transitions and the somewhat disjointed flow of ideas prevent a higher score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and occasionally imprecise. Phrases like 'concern you about continuing the apartment' and 'colleague hasn't interested me' are non-standard and awkward. There is a reliance on basic vocabulary, and some word choices, such as 'regular basics', are incorrect. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of precision and the presence of awkward collocations indicate a restricted range of vocabulary that is just adequate for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement ('My plans has changed', 'Many people... doesn't'), tense usage, and sentence structure. The attempt at complex sentences often results in errors that can cause some difficulty for the reader. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing and capitalization. While the writer attempts to use a variety of structures, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar significantly impacts the clarity of the message.

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

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