Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-27

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 Amina,

Great news about your place on the course congratulations! Since you asked about accommodation, I thought I am share what worked for me when I was studying there.

I lived in a shared house about ten minutes from campus. It was not fancy, but it was affordable, quiet, and close enough to walk to lectures. The area was mostly students, so it felt safe and convenient, and the local shops were only a few minutes away.

The best way to start your search is through the university accommodation office. They keep an updated list of approved landlords and are quick to warn the students about places with a bad reputation. Local student groups online are also useful for finding housemates or checking what is available.

Just be careful not to rush into signing a contract. A lot of students choose the first place they see and later regret it. Make sure you view the property in person, check for hidden costs in the contract, and confirm that utilities are included.

Let me know if you need help comparing places happy to look over anything you find.

Best regards,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly described your former living situation, provided a practical recommendation for finding accommodation, and offered sound advice regarding common pitfalls. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a consistent and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, providing a clear and logical response to the task instructions. No parts of the prompt were overlooked, and the information provided is sufficient to meet the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The email is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which makes the information easy to follow. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Since you asked,' 'The best way,' and 'Just be careful,' to transition between ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for an informal email format. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between the ideas is clear throughout the text, demonstrating a good command of organizational structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases like 'approved landlords,' 'hidden costs,' and 'reputation' are well-chosen and appropriate for the context. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it stays within a relatively standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more idiomatic expressions or slightly more sophisticated collocations. However, the language used is natural, and there are no errors in word choice that impede communication or cause confusion for the reader.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response shows a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control of punctuation is generally good. There is a minor grammatical slip in the opening: 'I thought I am share' should be 'I thought I would share.' Additionally, the sentence 'happy to look over anything you find' is a bit fragmented, though acceptable in an informal email. Despite these minor issues, the majority of your writing is accurate, and the grammatical errors do not interfere with the clarity of your message.

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