Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-21

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 7.0)

Dear Michelle,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to extend my lease agreement by one year more of what we originally agreed.

As you know, five months ago on 5th May, I signed a six-month agreement to stay in the apartment. However, I would like you to extend it to one year as my parents are coming to visit me. Before this, I had decided to move out but now that my parents are coming to stay, I need some space for them. I thought instead of renting a separate place for them, I should include them in my apartment. This apartment is big enough for the three of us to live.

Moreover, till now I have not faced any difficulties, but the microwave oven is not working for the last three days. Therefore, I am requesting you to send a technician to fix it.

Thank you for your time and consideration. You can share all the leasing documents with me which I need to sign.

Yours sincerely,

Sam Mistry

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all the bullet points outlined in the prompt. First, the student clearly states the desired extension period, writing, 'I would like you to extend it to one year'. Second, the change in plans is explained adequately by mentioning that the parents are coming to visit and need accommodation. Third, the apartment issue is properly introduced by informing the owner that 'the microwave oven is not working for the last three days'. All parts of the task are addressed with appropriate tone and clarity, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter follows a clear, logical progression throughout, beginning with a polite opening and stating the main purpose immediately. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different topics, such as the lease extension, the reasons behind the change in plans, and the maintenance issue regarding the microwave. Cohesive devices are employed naturally, as seen in words like 'However', 'Moreover', and 'Therefore'. Although some linking could be slightly more sophisticated, the overall organization is coherent and easy to follow, supporting a solid Band 7.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using functional terms like 'lease agreement', 'accommodation', 'technician', and 'consideration'. Word choice is generally appropriate, though there are a few slightly unnatural phrasings, such as 'extend my lease agreement by one year more of what we originally agreed' instead of 'extend my lease by an additional year'. However, these minor lexical inaccuracies do not impede communication, and the vocabulary used is adequate to achieve a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional and subordinate clauses like 'Before this, I had decided to move out but now that my parents are coming to stay, I need some space for them.' Grammatical control is generally good, though there are a few minor errors, such as 'not working for the last three days' instead of the more accurate present perfect continuous 'has not been working for the past three days'. Punctuation and sentence boundaries are handled well, leading to a comfortable Band 6.5 score.

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