Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-02

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 Victor

i am writing to tell you that i will wish to extend my stay intend of six months i would want to stay for eight month.

The main reason for the extension was because i was not able to complete the projects I was given six months to finish.

So would want to take my time so could be able to do nice jobs without mistakes.There is a problem in the apartment i would like you to take care of,the kitchen cabinets and the windows are broken, then the socket are not properly functioning.

i would really appreciate it if you could repair them on time .

yours faithfully .

Vivian .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address all three required points: you request an extension, explain that your projects are unfinished, and report damage to the cabinets, windows, and electrical sockets. However, the request is not fully clear: “eight month” does not specify whether this means eight months in total or eight additional months. The reason and repair request are also brief, so the ideas remain under-developed. The response is 114 words, below the required 150, which limits the opportunity to explain your plans and the apartment problem fully. To strengthen the letter, state the exact end date or duration, add relevant detail about the changed plans, and describe the repairs needed more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information follows a generally sensible order: you introduce the extension, give a reason, then mention the apartment problems and request repairs. This makes the purpose understandable. However, most of the content is presented in one continuous block, so the shift from your plans to the maintenance issue is not clearly signposted. Linking is also somewhat mechanical, particularly in “So would want to take my time” and “then the socket…”. Use separate paragraphs for the extension and the repair issue, and connect ideas with clearer transitions such as “In addition” or “Regarding the apartment”. Clearer sentence boundaries and references would make the overall progression easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough relevant vocabulary to communicate the main points, including “extend my stay”, “projects”, “kitchen cabinets”, “windows” and “socket”. The range is limited, though, and several choices or combinations are unnatural: “intend of six months” appears to mean “instead of six months”, while “do nice jobs” is vague in this context. “The socket are not properly functioning” also contains an awkward expression; a more natural phrase would be “the electrical sockets are not working properly”. Aim for precise language about the rental period and repairs, and check spelling and word forms. These improvements would make the letter sound more natural and reduce the effort required to interpret some phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The letter communicates its basic meaning, but the sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts to combine ideas are often inaccurate. For example, “i will wish to extend” uses an incorrect verb pattern, and “So would want to take my time so could be able” omits the subject in both clauses. There are also errors in agreement and number, as in “the socket are”, and punctuation and capitalisation are inconsistent. Use complete clauses with clear subjects—for example, “I would like to extend my stay because I need more time to complete my projects.” Practise accurate verb patterns and agreement, then proofread sentence boundaries and capital letters.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.