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 Smith,

I am writing to inquiry about some additional months of rent.

As I mentioned earlier I have a plan to stay in the house for the up coming 3 months.I remember I had a contract of rent only for six months but due to the fact that I didnot finish my project in this city I obligied to extend my stay.moreover I couldnot find such home which is nearby to my office than your apartment. I hope you understand my situtaion and give me some time untill I could finish my project.I promise to let you know as soon as I finish my project.

Moreover, I would appreciate if you could change color of the bedroom wall paint .Because the yellow paint is hard to eye wall specially during night time when I switch on the light.

I hope to hearing form you soon.

Yours sincerely,Kidist.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address all three required points: you request an extension, explain that your project is unfinished and the apartment is conveniently close to work, and report that the bedroom’s yellow paint is uncomfortable at night. The requested period—three additional months—is clear. However, the explanation and the paint problem are only briefly developed, and the request to change the paint could be phrased more clearly as a problem needing attention. The response also falls two words short of the required 150, so it does not fully meet the task’s length instruction. Add a little detail, such as when the extension would begin or how the owner could arrange repainting, to make the letter more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a generally sensible order: it opens with the extension request, gives reasons, raises the paint issue, and closes politely. Paragraphing helps distinguish the rental explanation from the apartment problem. Linking expressions such as “moreover” and “because” show how ideas relate, although “moreover” is repeated and does not always create a natural transition. Some sentences run together, particularly the explanation beginning “I remember I had a contract,” which makes the progression harder to follow. Use clearer sentence boundaries and a more direct sequence—for example, state the new rental period, explain the changed plans, then introduce the maintenance request. This would make the organisation smoother and the connections less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main points, including “extend my stay,” “nearby to my office,” and “bedroom wall paint.” The reader can understand the request and the reason for it. However, several word choices, collocations, and spelling errors make the language less natural, such as “inquiry about some additional months of rent,” “hard to eye,” and “situtaion.” Some expressions are also imprecise: “change color of the bedroom wall paint” could specify repainting the wall. Aim for accurate, natural phrases rather than adding complexity. Proofreading spelling and choosing standard collocations would improve clarity and make the letter sound more appropriate for a formal request.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a reason clause with “due to the fact that” and a conditional idea in “as soon as I finish my project.” The main message remains understandable, but errors in sentence construction and punctuation are noticeable. For example, “I am writing to inquiry” uses an incorrect verb form, while “I hope to hearing” has an incorrect pattern after “hope.” Several sentences also need clearer punctuation, such as the run-on section after “six months.” Review verb patterns (“writing to enquire,” “hope to hear”), articles and prepositions, and separate complete ideas with full stops. More accurate control of these forms would make your varied sentences easier to read.

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

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