We propose an extension of the FENE-CR model for dilute polymer solutions [M.D. Chilcott, J.M. Rallison, Creeping flow of dilute polymer solutions past cylinders and spheres, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 29 (1988) 382-432] and the Rouse-CCR tube model for linear entangled polymers [A.E. Likhtman, R.S. Graham, Simple constitutive equation for linear polymer melts derived from molecular theory: Rolie-Poly equation, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 114 (2003) 1-12], to describe the nonequilibrium stretching dynamics of polymer chains in strong extensional flows. The resulting models, designed to capture the progressive changes in the average internal structure (kinked state) of the polymer chain, include an 'effective' maximum contour length that depends on local flow dynamics. The theological behavior of the modified models is compared with various results already published in the literature for entangled polystyrene solutions, and for the Kramers chain model (dilute polymer solutions). It is shown that the FENE-CR model with an 'effective' maximum contour length is able to describe correctly the hysteretic behavior in stress versus birefringence in start-up of uniaxial extensional flow and subsequent relaxation also observed and computed by Doyle et al. [P.S. Doyle, E.S.G. Shaqfeh, G.H. McKinley, S.H. Spiegelberg, Relaxation of dilute polymer solutions following extensional flow, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 76 (1998) 79-110] and Li and Larson [L. Li, R.G. Larson, Excluded volume effects on the birefringence and stress of dilute polymer solutions in extensional flow, Rheol. Acta 39 (2000) 419-427] using Brownian dynamics simulations of bead-spring model. The Rolie-Poly model with an 'effective' maximum contour length exhibits a less pronounced hysteretic behavior in stress versus birefringence in start-up of uniaxial extensional flow and subsequent relaxation. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.