Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-15
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 Mansi,
I hope you are doing well. As we agreed five months ago that i will in this apartment for six months but my plans now have been changed and i want to live in this property for more three months.
Actually, I just got inrolled in Digital Marketing which requires 3 months of regular classes and the college is very close to the place where i live. So, it would be easy for me to commute everyday. Although, I will also get enough time to find new place for me to live.
Along with this, I want you to know that there are some issues with the balcony lights. I noticed that couple of days ago that the outside lights of the apartment are not working. Could you please send electrician to check that!
Also let me know if you have any concerns about extending the time period of agreement!
Kind regards,
Navjot Kaur
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
Navjot successfully covers all three bullet points required in the task instructions. First, the desired extension period is clearly stated as three months beyond the original agreement. Second, the change in plans is explained by mentioning enrollment in a digital marketing course with regular classes close to the property. Third, a specific maintenance issue regarding the balcony lights not working is communicated, alongside a request for an electrician. The tone is appropriately semi-formal for a landlord-tenant relationship, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout. The response addresses all parts of the task well, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression. The layout follows standard letter-writing conventions with an appropriate opening greeting and sign-off. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the main topics: the lease extension and course details in the first paragraph, and the maintenance issue in the second. Cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Along with this', and 'Also' are deployed to guide the reader through the text, although some transitions like 'Although, I will also get...' are slightly awkward grammatically. Overall, the ideas flow coherently, justifying a Band 7.0 score.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'property', 'commute', 'concerns', and 'extending'. However, there are some noticeable lexical and collocational inaccuracies. For instance, 'got inrolled' contains a spelling error ('enrolled'), and the phrase 'more three months' is unnatural, with 'three more months' being correct. The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey meaning clearly, but word-choice errors prevent it from reaching a higher band, placing it solidly at Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
Navjot attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as using subordinate clauses with 'although' and relative clauses with 'which'. However, grammatical control is inconsistent. There are several noticeable errors, including punctuation and article omissions ('i will in this apartment', 'got inrolled', 'find new place', 'send electrician', 'check that!'). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they recur frequently enough to prevent the response from achieving a higher band. The grammar reflects the descriptors for Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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