Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-28

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 hope you are doing well. I am writting this letter to tell you that few months ago i rented an appartment on a six-month agreement, but now i am planing to stay two months more here because at that time i thought i will move from this city to another after six-month but now i will stay here for some time. Moreover, In that flat were i planned to go that is not properly ready yet, there are some things missing like the walls are not paint according to my taste, so i will change that. Additionaly, flooring is not done in all the area of the flat like living area, me and my family spent most of the time in a living area.

Futhermore, the main issue for not staying in this apartment is now i am going to higher position in my job and my office is in another city so thats why i am not staying long here.

Thank you for understanding my problem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You communicate the main request by saying you want to stay “two months more,” and you give a reason: your alternative flat is not ready. However, the explanation becomes unclear because you also say you are taking a higher position and your office is in another city, which seems to conflict with wanting to remain in this apartment. The required apartment problem is not clearly reported: the unfinished flooring and unpainted walls are described as issues in the other flat, not the apartment you currently rent. The letter therefore only partially fulfils the task, and the owner may not understand your plans. State the extension request directly, give one consistent explanation, and clearly identify a problem in the current apartment.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is some organisation: you begin with the request and reasons, then add further information and close with thanks. However, the ideas do not progress clearly, especially within the long first paragraph, where the extension, moving plans, and condition of another flat are combined. “Moreover,” “Additionally,” and “Furthermore” are used to connect points, but the relationships between those points are not always clear. The final explanation about your job appears to contradict the earlier reason for staying. Use separate paragraphs for the extension and its reason, the apartment problem, and the closing; make sure each transition reflects the actual connection between ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the general situation, including “six-month agreement,” “higher position,” and “living area.” However, spelling errors such as “writting,” “appartment,” “planing,” and “Futhermore” are noticeable, and some expressions are awkward or imprecise, including “stay two months more here” and “the walls are not paint according to my taste.” The repeated use of “flat” and “area” also limits variety. Choose more natural phrases for a formal letter, such as “extend my tenancy by two months” and “the walls have not been painted.” More accurate spelling and collocations would make your meaning easier for the owner to follow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to link several ideas in complex sentences, for example with “because” and “so,” but these long structures are often faulty and make the message difficult to follow. There are frequent errors in verb forms and tense, as in “i thought i will move” and “the walls are not paint,” as well as missing or incorrect articles and agreement in “few months ago” and “in a living area.” Capitalisation and punctuation are also inconsistent, particularly after sentence breaks and around the final explanation. Use shorter sentences to express each point, and check past-tense reporting (“I thought I would move”), passive forms (“have not been painted”), and article use before sending the letter.

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

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