Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Dear Sir/Ma'am
As I am a tenant in your apartment from last six months. My previous work was for six months but now it postponed for another six months. So I want to continue for staying in your apartment for another six months.
I am working as an event manager for a firm. Now that firm give me one more contract of an event . Which takes almost another six month of time to be completed. Rather than changing the place for a stay. I am preferring that space again to live. Where I am comfortable to live. As it is close to my work and also have parking and all other basic facilities.
As I am living here from last six months. I also see some minor issues in the apartment. Which can easily fixed. The problem are:- There are water leakage from the geyser joint which a plumber can fix easily.
I will be waiting for your response towards extending the agreement ahead.
Yours Faithfully
Gurman
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 the mention of a maintenance issue. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. The explanation regarding the work contract is clear, but the description of the apartment issue is brief. To reach a higher band, you should expand slightly more on the impact of the maintenance issue or provide more detail about the desired extension. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord, though the opening and closing salutations could be more standard.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. For example, you start several sentences with 'As I am...' or 'Which...'. The flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition.' The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the request for extension and the maintenance issue is abrupt. Improving the variety of your transitions would significantly enhance the overall flow of the letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message, such as 'tenant,' 'contract,' and 'facilities.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'postponed for another six months' (when you likely mean 'extended') and 'I also see some minor issues' (which should be 'I have noticed'). The phrasing 'Which can easily fixed' contains a grammatical error that also affects lexical clarity. To improve, focus on using more precise verbs and ensuring that your word choices are natural in a formal context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include tense usage ('I am a tenant... from last six months' should be 'I have been a tenant... for the last six months') and subject-verb agreement ('The problem are' should be 'The problem is'). Additionally, there are several sentence fragments, such as 'Which takes almost another six month of time to be completed.' While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on verb tenses and complete sentence construction will help you improve.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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