Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-23

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 Mr.Smith,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I have been living in your apartment for the last 5 months, and I know our lease agreement was only for six months, but I want to stay longer than that period.

I want to rent this apartment for another four months because I am here for my university training, and it was only six months when I enrolled, but now management extended the length to ten months.

Although the apartment is spacious and furnished, there are two key problems that I noticed: heating and plumbing. Winter has started, and I turn on the heater even though the room temperature stays below 18 degrees. Also, from the dishwasher, I observed that there is a small water leak, so it needs to be fixed at your earliest convenience.

I would like

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You have successfully addressed all bullet points required by the prompt: you stated how long you want to extend your stay, explained why your plans changed due to university training, and mentioned apartment problems involving heating and plumbing. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to an apartment owner. However, your response has a notable drawback regarding task length: the text contains only 141 words, falling short of the required 150-word minimum. Furthermore, the letter trails off abruptly at the end with an incomplete concluding sentence ("I would like"). Because the response is under-length and incomplete, the task is only partially completed, restricting your band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

Your letter shows clear overall organisation. You use logical paragraphing, separating the purpose of the letter, the explanation for the changed plans, and the issues with the apartment into distinct sections. Basic cohesive devices and referencing are used correctly, such as "Although the apartment is spacious and furnished..." and "Also, from the dishwasher...". However, because the text cuts off mid-sentence at the end, there is no proper closing paragraph or sign-off, which disrupts the natural flow and cohesion of a letter format. Nevertheless, the progression of ideas up to that point is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. You use appropriate terms related to renting and accommodation, such as "lease agreement," "spacious," "furnished," and "dishwasher." There are also attempts at less common vocabulary items like "earliest convenience." Word choice and spelling are generally accurate and do not impede communication. To reach higher band scores, you should incorporate more sophisticated and flexible lexical items, avoiding repetitive phrasing such as repeating "six months" multiple times in the opening paragraphs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as the use of concessive clauses ("Although the apartment is spacious and furnished, there are two key problems..."). Your control of basic grammar is good, and most of your sentences are clear and understandable. There are a few minor awkward constructions, like "management extended the length," but these do not impede communication. Your punctuation and capitalization are generally standard. To improve further, ensure greater accuracy in complex sentence structures and make sure all sentences are fully completed rather than trailing off.

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

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