Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-01

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 Mr John,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to request to rent apartment for longer than six months and inform you about a problem which needs to be fixed.

As per my initial contract I am supposed to move out of this apartment on 30th October 2026. However, I am planning to stay here for another 5 months till 30th March 2027.

This apartment is located in the Main Street of the town which offers effective bus service. This not only offer time efficient commute to work but also offers time to explore the town simultaneously.

I would also like to inform you that the apartment's main door has some problem with its lock. Sometimes, it takes a considerable amount of time to lock or unlock the door and last week the key was stuck in the door that I had to take my neighbour's help to retrieve it. Kindly fix the lock as early as possible because it is a safety and threat concern for me.

I believe you will extend my stay and fix this problem.

Kind regards,

Suman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all parts of the communicative task. The student clearly states the desired length of the extended stay (another 5 months until 30th March 2027) and explains why plans have changed by highlighting the convenient location and bus service. Furthermore, the issue regarding the apartment's main door lock is clearly described, including the incident with the stuck key and the safety concern it poses. All bullet points are well addressed and supported with relevant details, demonstrating a clear tone and purpose appropriate for a general correspondence task. To reach an even higher standard, the explanation of the changed plans could be slightly more expansive, perhaps detailing specific personal or professional commitments that make staying longer beneficial.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. The response is divided into logical paragraphs, with a standard salutation, an introductory statement of purpose, separate paragraphs for the duration, the reasons for changing plans, the maintenance issue, and an appropriate closing. Cohesive devices and referencing are generally managed well, as seen in the transition words 'However' and 'This not only offer', which connect ideas smoothly. While the progression is mostly clear, a slightly wider range of advanced cohesive links could enhance the flow further. Overall, the structural arrangement fully satisfies the requirements of a coherent semi-formal letter.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and functional phrases such as 'initial contract', 'time efficient commute', and 'retrieve'. Word choice is generally appropriate and allows the message to be communicated clearly without strain. However, there are a few minor lexical and grammatical word-form slips, such as omitting an article in 'request to rent apartment' (should be 'to rent an apartment') and a slight collocation error with 'safety and threat concern' rather than 'security and safety concern'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and vocabulary use sits comfortably within the expectations for this level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The writing demonstrates a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, with frequent error-free constructions. Examples include conditional and relative-style links such as 'I am writing this letter to request...' and 'the key was stuck in the door that I had to take...'. There is good control of verb tenses, successfully handling past events ('last week the key was stuck') and future projections ('till 30th March 2027'). Minor errors persist, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('This not only offer' instead of 'offers'), but these do not impede communication. Punctuation is generally sound, and the overall grammatical control reflects a solid intermediate-to-advanced command.

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