Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-25

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Your friend has been offered a place on a course at the university where you studied. He/She would like your advice about finding a place to live.

Write an email to your friend. In your email

• describe where you lived when you were a student at the university
• recommend the best way for him/her to look for accommodation
• warn him/her of mistakes students make when choosing accommodation

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your email as follows:

Dear ..........,

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Ram,

I hope this email finds you well. I would like to congratulate for securing a place at the University of Toronto. I am glad to hear that. I would definitely help you out in finding the best accommodation, as I am very familiar with the place.

I used to live near High Park, which is located just three blocks away from the university and the location was very convenient while I studied there. One of the major benefits of that place was reliable transportation and easy access to nearby grocery stores.

I would suggest that you try to find accommodation on Facebook Marketplace as there are many student groups in which they would post information about renting a place. I used that platform to find it.

Moreover, my advice for not committing the same mistake as I made would be do not make any upfront payment or deposit just by viewing the place online. I recommend that you arrive a bit early and stay one or two days in motel or hotel and try to go check that place before renting out as you might see many places clean on photos but the actual scenario would be different.

I hope this information will help and in case you need any more information do not hesitate to reach out.

Regards,

Alex

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly described your former living situation near High Park, provided a practical recommendation for using Facebook Marketplace, and gave a helpful warning regarding upfront payments. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the ideas are well-developed and relevant. The purpose of the email is clear from the beginning, and you have provided sufficient detail to satisfy the requirements of the prompt. No parts of the task were omitted, and the information provided is logical and helpful.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The email is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your ideas easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'I would suggest', and 'In case' to link your sentences and paragraphs effectively. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from your personal experience to advice and then to a warning. The use of referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context of the letter. Phrases like 'securing a place', 'very familiar with the place', and 'upfront payment' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items to reach a higher band. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication, and the tone remains consistent and natural throughout the email.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally strong. There are minor slips, such as 'congratulate for securing' (should be 'congratulate you on securing') and 'stay one or two days in motel' (missing an article 'a'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not cause any difficulty for the reader. You show a good command of punctuation and sentence construction, which makes the text easy to read and follow.

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