Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-17

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.Walter,

I hope all is well with you. I am writing to you to request for an extension of my 6 months rental agreement.

Initially, we agreed that I would stay in the apartment for just 6 months. However, I would love to extend my stay to a maximum period of 1year.

The reason for my extended stay is due to the recent job offer I received. It is a one year contract Job and the house is very close to my workplace. I wouldn't want to go through the stress of finding another apartment after 6 months. Furthermore, the new job has offered to sponsor my accomodation. The remaining 6months would be paid by the company that offered me a job.

I love the apartment, but I am not particularly satisfied with the parking lot. The parking space is too small and would not contain the number of cars in the building. I would appreciate it if the parking garage is expanded in order to accommodate more cars.

I look forward to a positive feedback. I would be happy if the issue with parking lot is also looked into .

Yours faithfully

Oge Frances.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter clearly addresses all three requirements: you request an extension, explain the change in your plans, and describe the parking problem. The proposed stay is understandable as a total of one year, supported by the one-year job contract and the apartment’s proximity to work. You also explain that the employer will cover the remaining six months. These details make your request persuasive and maintain a clear, polite purpose. The parking issue is relevant, although asking for the entire garage to be expanded may be less practical than requesting a specific solution or asking the owner to investigate. To strengthen the response further, state the exact dates or duration of the extension explicitly and develop the requested action on the parking issue more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter follows a clear progression: it opens with the request, explains the original agreement and changed circumstances, then raises the apartment problem before closing. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these purposes, and connectors such as “However” and “Furthermore” make the explanation easy to follow. The main weakness is some repetition at the end: you ask for the parking issue to be addressed in the body and repeat that request in the closing. The final two sentences could instead be combined into a concise closing that confirms your hope for an extension and invites a response. Overall, the organisation is logical, though a little more economical use of linking and repeated information would make the letter smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal rental request, including “extension,” “sponsor my accommodation,” and “accommodate more cars.” The wording communicates the situation clearly, and the tone is generally appropriate. Some choices are less natural or precise: “request for an extension” is better expressed as “request an extension,” while “positive feedback” is not the usual phrase when asking an owner to decide; “favourable response” would fit better. There are also spelling and spacing issues in “accomodation” and “6months,” and “parking lot” is repeated. Aim for more accurate collocations and consistent spelling, and vary repeated terms where possible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response includes a useful mix of simple and complex forms, such as “The reason for my extended stay is due to the recent job offer I received” and the sentence explaining that the company will pay for the remaining period. Meaning remains clear throughout. Some grammatical and punctuation errors persist: “request for an extension” has an unnecessary preposition, “a maximum period of 1year” needs clearer article and spacing, and “I would be happy if the issue … is also looked into” shifts awkwardly between a hypothetical condition and present passive. The greeting and sign-off punctuation also need attention. For greater accuracy, use “I would appreciate it if you could look into the parking issue” and check articles, prepositions, and sentence punctuation.

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