Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-07

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 5.5)

Dear sir,

I hope you are doing well.I want to discuss about agreement. According to renting i have six month agreement , Now i wish to stay for longer as much as i need . This is because i have spent five month here now my family are sateled there and my all requirments are complete there , like near school hospitel bankand supermarket . During this period i have arrenged all facilities here. That is why my plans have changed , and i donot need to move any other place .

Moreover i have a small problem in your apartment.Please come in and visit this apartment and fix the problem as soon as possible. I will be waiting for your good response.I would like to extend my agreement with your positive attitude,for two years .If you would like my request ,accept it new agreement

Thankyou,

Kinds regerd

Zahida kalsoom.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three main points: you request a two-year extension, explain that your family has settled and that useful services are nearby, and mention a problem in the apartment. The reason for staying is relevant, but the request is initially vague in “for longer as much as i need” before the specific two-year period appears near the end. The apartment problem is not identified at all; asking the owner to visit and fix “the problem” leaves them unable to understand what needs attention. Develop this point with a clear description, such as a leaking tap or faulty heating, and state the requested extension clearly near the beginning. These omissions and under-developed details limit how fully the letter fulfils its purpose.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: it introduces the rental agreement, gives reasons for staying, raises a maintenance issue, and closes with a request. Linking expressions such as “This is because” and “Moreover” help show relationships between ideas. However, the progression is not consistently clear: the two-year request comes after the maintenance paragraph, and the problem itself is never specified. Several ideas are crowded into long sentences, while punctuation and spacing make boundaries difficult to follow, as in “doing well.I want” and “attitude,for two years.” Use separate paragraphs for the extension and reasons, the repair issue, and the closing request. Clearer sequencing and more controlled links would make the message easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the general situation, including “agreement,” “apartment,” “extend,” and “facilities.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the message difficult to interpret. For example, “discuss about agreement” is not a natural phrase, and “my family are sateled there” does not clearly express that they have settled in the area. Spelling errors such as “hospitel,” “arrenged,” and “regerd” also reduce clarity. Aim for precise, natural expressions for the rental request and the repair, and proofread spelling. The vocabulary suggestions below offer practical alternatives drawn from your letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response communicates its main purpose using mostly simple sentence patterns, with some attempts to connect clauses, such as “This is because…” and “That is why…”. However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to affect readability. Examples include “i have six month agreement,” where the article and noun form are missing, and “my family are” alongside “my all requirments are complete,” which show problems with agreement and sentence construction. The sentence beginning “According to renting” is also not formed as a clear grammatical expression. Capitalisation and punctuation are inconsistent, including lowercase “i” and missing spaces after full stops. Practise accurate sentence patterns for explaining reasons and making polite requests, then check articles, plurals, agreement, and punctuation.

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

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