Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-28

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 Miss Watson,

I am writing to request an extension in the rental agreement which we signed on August 5, 2025. I have also attached a copy of that agreement here. The originally agreed term was six months, but now due to a change of plans I wish to extend it for three more months till May 5, 2026.

This change of plans occurred because my parents will be visiting, and staying with me for the mentioned time period. Furthermore, their plans include exploring the city and the apartment is in the heart of it which makes it very easy to travel around. I hope this request does not cause you any inconvenience, if it does kindly inform me timely so I can arrange a proper alternative.

Also, I want to request a fixture. There is some water leakage in the kitchen tap although its firmly closed. I will appreciate it if you could arrange a plumber coming weekened to fix this.

I am looking forward to your reply.

Kind Regards,

Waqosi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points required in the prompt. First, you clearly state the desired extension period ('three more months till May 5, 2026'). Second, you explain that your parents will be visiting and staying with you during this time, and that the central location suits their tourism plans. Finally, you inform the owner about a maintenance issue regarding water leakage in the kitchen tap. The purpose of the letter is immediately clear, and the tone is appropriate for corresponding with a landlord. All parts of the task are adequately covered and developed, satisfying the requirements for a Band 7 performance under Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression from the initial request to the change in plans, followed by the maintenance issue and a polite closing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as grouping the duration and reason for the change together, and placing the maintenance request in its own paragraph. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'Furthermore' and 'Also', though some referencing could be smoother. Overall, the flow is natural, and the reader can easily follow the sequence of information. This aligns well with the Band 7 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly and with some flexibility. Phrases like 'request an extension in the rental agreement', 'change of plans', and 'cause you any inconvenience' are natural and appropriate. However, there are a few minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'request a fixture' instead of 'request a repair' or 'report a maintenance issue', and 'coming weekened' instead of 'coming weekend'. Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary used is adequate to convey precise meaning without impeding communication, placing this response firmly in the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The originally agreed term was six months, but now due to a change of plans I wish to extend it...' and 'Furthermore, their plans include exploring the city and the apartment is in the heart of it which makes it very easy to travel around.' There are minor grammatical and punctuation errors, such as missing a comma before 'if it does' and the spelling typo 'weekened'. However, the majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control is generally strong enough not to impede the reader's understanding. This performance reflects the criteria for Band 7.

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

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