Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-03

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 Mr Afzal,

I hopw you are doing well.

I am writing to request an extension to my six-month tenancy agreement.

I would like to extend my tenancy for a further six months, bringing the total rental period to one year.. If other tenants are coming then I would be fine to change my room.

I decided to shift with my friends. However, they all have gone to their house for vacations and they will come after six months. Moreover, I received a sponsorship from my university to work as a student ambassador. Therefore, I have to live here for around one year.

I would like to draw your attention to the electrical problem in my apartment. The main light of my room is not working. Furthermore, it is really difficult for me to cook without lights.

I trust this issue will be resolved shortly. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Mahir

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, successfully covering the desired rental duration, the reason for the change in plans, and reporting a maintenance issue regarding the lighting. However, some areas are slightly under-developed or less clear. For instance, the mention that 'If other tenants are coming then I would be fine to change my room' introduces a slightly confusing and unnecessary condition that detracts from the main request. To reach a higher level, all bullet points should be fully expanded with natural context without introducing tangential ideas. Overall, the tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from the initial request to the reasons for extending and finally to the apartment problem. Paragraphing is used adequately to separate distinct points, such as the accommodation changes and the electrical issue. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well, with transition words like 'However', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' helping to link ideas, although referencing and linking can occasionally feel a bit mechanical. To achieve a higher score, the transitions between sentences could flow more naturally without relying on formulaic connectors.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a general task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'tenancy agreement' and 'student ambassador'. There are a few spelling and word choice errors, notably 'I hopw' in the opening sentence and using 'shift' instead of 'move' in 'I decided to shift with my friends'. These errors do not impede communication, but they highlight the limitations in lexical control at this level. Incorporating a wider variety of precise collocations and ensuring accurate word forms would lift this criterion further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like conditional and causal clauses effectively (e.g., 'Therefore, I have to live here for around one year.'). There are some minor errors in grammar and punctuation, such as the double punctuation mark at the end of 'bringing the total rental period to one year..', but these errors are infrequent and rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the meaning. To reach the next band, the student should aim for a higher proportion of error-free complex sentences and flawless punctuation control.

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

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