Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-17

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 6.0)

Dear Sam,

I rented your apartment from January 2026 to June 2026 same as I started my job at Walmart store which was on an agreement of six month same the our rent agreement tenure. I am very happy to tell you that Walmart has hired me as a full time employee now. I would love to extend my stay with you for a year as my workplace is quiet near and I don't have to spend time on travelling. Moreover as I am living here from past five months this place feels as a home far from home to me.

However, I am facing a bit issue with the washroom nowdays. The ceiling above the sink is dripping. It can be a leakage in the pipe or some problem upstairs.If you can get that fixed, it will be very helpful to me.I have to place an empty bucket there other wise dripping water will wet the whole floor.

Will be waiting for your reply.

Yours Truly,

George

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully covers all bullet points required by the prompt. First, the student states how long they want to rent the apartment for: 'I would love to extend my stay with you for a year'. Second, they explain why plans have changed by mentioning that Walmart has hired them as a full-time employee and the workplace is close. Third, they inform the owner about a problem in the apartment, specifically the leaking ceiling in the washroom above the sink. The tone is appropriate for a semi-formal letter to a landlord, and all parts of the task are adequately addressed. Therefore, it satisfies the criteria for Band 6.5 to 7.0, earning a solid Band 6.0 due to some slight under-development of ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear beginning and ending. Ideas are generally grouped logically, with the first paragraph dealing with the lease extension and reasons, the second addressing the maintenance issue, and the final paragraph providing a polite sign-off. However, paragraphing is somewhat weak; the body is compressed into a single large block of text before the maintenance issue, and the transition phrases used, such as 'same as I started' and 'Moreover as I am', are somewhat awkward and mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, but cohesive devices are occasionally faulty. This places the response comfortably at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'full time employee', 'home far from home', and 'extend my stay'. However, there are noticeable lexical and collocational inaccuracies, such as 'quiet near' instead of 'quite near', 'from past five months' instead of 'for the past five months', and 'a bit issue' instead of 'a minor issue'. Spelling is generally accurate, but word choice errors occasionally require the reader to re-read. The lexical resource displayed is sufficient to communicate the message clearly, aligning with the Band 6.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'If you can get that fixed, it will be very helpful to me.' However, control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings, including 'same as I started my job... same the our rent agreement tenure' and 'other wise dripping water'. Punctuation is also missing in a few spots, such as after 'Moreover' and before 'other wise'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from achieving a Band 7.0, making Band 6.0 the most accurate assessment.

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

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