Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-09

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 Aman,

I am writing to inform you about renting apartment for more than six month.

Now i have changed my mind to stay for one year in a apartment. The main reason is study. I have join one course which would be lasted for six month. This course is quite beneficial for me. Therefore, i want to stay for longer than the six months.

There are few problems which need to sort out. Heating system is not working properly. In winter, rooms are be colder. Thus, it is very hard to sleep well. Moreover, washig machine donot wah cloth properly. Therefore, it shoud be changed.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfull,

Kirandeep Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You cover the three requested points: you ask to stay for one year, explain that you have joined a six-month course, and report problems with the heating and washing machine. However, the request and reasons are only briefly developed, and the letter does not clearly explain why the course means you need to remain for a full year. The problem descriptions are relevant but could include a clearer request for the owner to arrange repairs. The response also falls short of the required 150 words, so the task is only partially developed. Add a little context, explain the timing of your plans, and state what action you would like the owner to take while keeping the tone polite.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: the opening states its purpose, the next paragraph explains your changed plans, and the following paragraph describes apartment problems. This paragraphing makes the main points easy to locate. You also use linking expressions such as “Therefore” and “Moreover” to connect ideas, and the closing is appropriate. To make the progression more natural, avoid repeating “Therefore” and show more clearly how the course leads to the request to extend the rental. The transition from the reason for staying to the apartment problems could also be smoother. These features give the letter a coherent structure, while some linking remains mechanical rather than flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main message, with relevant terms such as “course,” “heating system,” and “washing machine.” The reader can understand the problems and your intention to remain longer. However, the range is limited, and several word-choice, collocation, and spelling errors reduce naturalness: “renting apartment,” “rooms are be colder,” and “washig machine donot wah cloth properly.” Some expressions are also imprecise, such as “it should be changed,” which does not clearly identify whether you mean the machine or a part of it. Use more precise phrases for requesting an extension and reporting maintenance issues, and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use mostly short, straightforward sentences, with a few attempts to connect ideas using “which,” “Therefore,” and “Moreover.” The basic message is generally understandable, but grammatical errors occur across the response. For example, “I have join one course” has an incorrect verb form, while “rooms are be colder” combines verb forms incorrectly. Articles and sentence patterns also need attention in “in a apartment” and “There are few problems which need to sort out.” These errors show that more complex structures are not yet controlled consistently. Practise accurate present perfect forms, infinitive patterns such as “need to be sorted out,” and article use, then proofread each sentence for a complete and correct verb structure.

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