Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-09

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 6.5)

Dear Ali,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to request you regarding my stay in the apartment for longer than the six months that I originally agreed with the owner.

To begin with, when I signed the lease for this house I was not doing any job but because this house was closer to my university so I put this house as an option for my short stay till six months until I finished my study. Now I got job as a Bakery Clerk in Lango's closer to the house that suits me a lot.

In addition to that, my commute is very easier from this house as it's just five minutes drive from the house. Moreover, I like this neighbourhood more now as I have a lot of friends here.

Finally, the only thing that is problematic for me for now is the water and electricity bill is too much for me so I just want that all included into my rent so I don't have to pay extra for anything besides my rent.

I hope you will understand my situation and get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you

Best Regards

Raana

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly stated your desire to extend the lease, provided a logical reason for the change in plans (securing a job), and identified a specific issue regarding utility bills. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. To reach a higher band, ensure you specify the exact duration of the extension (e.g., 'for another six months' or 'until next December') rather than just saying 'longer', as this would make your request more precise and professional.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In addition to that', and 'Moreover' to link your ideas. While these are effective, the flow is slightly mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the transition between the explanation of your job and the request regarding the bills is smoother. Paragraphing is used correctly to separate the different requirements of the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'signed the lease' and 'commute' are used correctly. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'I was not doing any job' (should be 'I was unemployed') and 'the water and electricity bill is too much for me' (should be 'the utility costs are quite high'). Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise collocations would help elevate your score. The current range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly without difficulty.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'my commute is very easier' (should be 'much easier') and 'I got job' (should be 'I got a job'). Additionally, the sentence 'I am writing this letter to request you regarding my stay' is slightly awkward; 'request an extension of my stay' would be more accurate. While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on article usage (a/the) and comparative adjectives.

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

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