Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear Owner,

I am writing this letter to inform you about my plan that I cannot stayed longer in the apartment.

As five months back we made a six-month contract for renting the apartment but now I am going to extend my lease for two months only instead of six.

It was not an easy decision to choose, after three months I am moving to another city and want my new house near by my new job. I never thought of taking decisions that quick but we never know where life takes you.

However, I really enjoyed be here as everything is well-organised and facilitated, the only problem coming to my is distance to my new job. I really appreciate your services and co-operation.

I hope you will understand my situation and will go through the smooth process of remaining lease agreement.

Thanks,

Yours Sincerely

Ria

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The letter is only partly successful in addressing the task. You state that you want to extend the lease by two months and explain that you will move to another city for a new job, so the main change in your plans is identifiable. However, the timing is unclear: “after three months I am moving” does not explain how this fits with the remaining month of the original agreement. Most importantly, you do not describe a problem in the apartment; “the only problem … is distance to my new job” is about your commute, not a fault with the property. The response is also four words below the required minimum. Add a specific apartment issue and clarify the dates and requested rental period.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The letter has a recognisable structure, with an opening, explanation, and closing, and the paragraphs broadly separate the main points. Linking expressions such as “However” and “I hope” help signal a change of focus and the request for understanding. However, the progression is not always clear: the relationship between the six-month agreement, the two-month extension, and moving “after three months” is difficult to follow. Some connections are also awkward, as in “As five months back we made a six-month contract,” which does not clearly introduce the timeline. Organise the information in a more direct sequence: current agreement, exact extension dates, reason for the change, and the apartment problem. This would make the letter easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the general situation, including “extend my lease,” “moving to another city,” and “co-operation.” There are also attempts at more formal language, such as “agreement” and “situation.” However, several word choices and collocations are unnatural or imprecise, which limits clarity: “my plan that I cannot stayed longer” conflicts with the intended request to stay longer, while “the only problem coming to my” is not a natural way to introduce a concern. “Well-organised and facilitated” is also unclear in this context. Choose conventional rental and maintenance expressions, and use precise wording for the property issue. More accurate collocations would make the message sound more natural and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both simple sentences and attempts at longer structures, for example the sentence beginning “As five months back…” and the contrast introduced by “However.” The main message can generally be understood, but errors in verb forms and sentence construction are noticeable. In “I cannot stayed longer,” the verb after “cannot” should be in its base form; “I really enjoyed be here” also needs a gerund after “enjoyed.” The opening “As five months back we made…” is an incomplete or awkwardly formed clause, and “after three months I am moving” needs clearer tense and time framing. Practise accurate modal-plus-verb patterns and build longer sentences around clear main clauses. This will improve control without sacrificing variety.

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

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