Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-20

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 7.5)

Dear Mr Ramone,

I am writing to request a three-month extension to the tenancy agreement for Apartment 21.

I initially rented the apartment five months ago under a six-month agreement. As the agreement is due to expire next month, I would like to extend it for a further three months.

The reason for this is that there has been a delay in the completion of a work project. As a result, I need to remain in the area longer than I had originally intended. Extending my current tenancy, instead of renting somewhere new would be the most convenient option.

I would also like to bring a maintenance issue to your attention. The paint on the ceiling has started to peel and frequently falls onto the floor in small flakes, making the apartment look untidy. Although I have been cleaning the area regularly, I believe the ceiling needs to be repainted to resolve the problem.

I would be grateful if you could consider extending the agreement and arranging for the ceiling to be repainted. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Amanda Cyrus

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The candidate has fully and effectively addressed all parts of the task prompt. First, the letter clearly specifies the desired length of the extension, stating, 'I would like to extend it for a further three months.' Second, the reason for the plan change is logically explained through the delay in a work project. Third, a specific and relevant maintenance issue is introduced regarding the peeling paint on the ceiling, as seen in the sentence, 'The paint on the ceiling has started to peel and frequently falls onto the floor.' The tone is appropriately formal and polite for a landlord-tenant correspondence, and the purpose of the letter is sustained from beginning to end without any irrelevant digressions. All bullet points are fully covered, meeting the Band 8 standard for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Ideas are naturally sequenced, beginning with the main purpose, moving into the explanation of the changed plans and the maintenance issue, and concluding with a polite sign-off. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph dedicated to a single, distinct theme (e.g., introduction, context of stay, reasons and project delay, maintenance problem, and conclusion). Cohesive devices are handled effectively without being overly mechanical. For instance, the use of transition phrases such as 'As a result' and 'I would also like to' ensures smooth transitions between thoughts. Reference words and pronoun referencing are clear throughout the text, maintaining a cohesive and readable structure that easily satisfies the Band 8 criteria.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal general letter. Phrases such as 'tenancy agreement', 'due to expire', 'maintenance issue', and 'resolving the problem' show a strong command of topic-specific collocations. There is skilful use of less common vocabulary items like 'convenient option' and 'frequently falls onto the floor in small flakes'. Word choice and collocations are accurate throughout the text, with no noticeable lexical errors. The vocabulary employed allows the writer to convey precise meanings naturally, reflecting the characteristics of a strong Band 8 performance in lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a wide range of grammatical structures with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, and complex structures are handled with confidence and control. Examples include 'As the agreement is due to expire next month, I would like to extend it for a further three months' and 'Extending my current tenancy, instead of renting somewhere new would be the most convenient option.' Punctuation is used correctly to demarcate clauses and items in a list. The minor comma placement near 'somewhere new would' is negligible and does not impede communication or detract from the overall impressive grammatical control, fully justifying a Band 8 score.

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

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