Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-29
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 7.5)
Dear Adam,
Its been ages since we met, I hope you are in your highest spirits. I am penning you this letter as you asked for recommendation's of rentals near your university.
I can assure you that you won't regret your decision of choosing University of Waterloo as this is one of the top uni's for computer science across the globe. Being in downtown waterloo it has a lot of rental options available, you can choose to live on or off-campus. While I chose to rent an apartment with my batchmates , I'd say you should do the same.
The fastest way to secure a place without any delays is to look online at Facebook marketplace, here you will find options starting as soon as subsequent month, a perfect beginning as you won't have to sign any lease. Once you find like- minded people with whom you think you'd be able to live long-term, go to "Accomodation4U" on king street and look for suitable options for leasing. But make sure other people sign the lease with you otherwise you'll be the only person responsible to pay the whole unit's rent.
I'm glad we'll be living in same city now, see you soon
Yours truly,
Sam.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly described your past living situation (renting an apartment with batchmates), recommended a method for finding accommodation (Facebook Marketplace), and provided a relevant warning regarding lease agreements. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose is clear throughout. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly more on the 'why' behind your recommendations or provide more descriptive detail about the living experience to fully develop the ideas, but overall, the task requirements are well-met.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The email is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your ideas easily. You use some cohesive devices like 'While I chose to...' and 'Once you find...', which help connect your sentences. However, the transition between the advice on Facebook Marketplace and the suggestion to visit 'Accomodation4U' could be smoother. Additionally, ensure that your paragraphing is consistent to maintain a professional flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a semi-formal email, such as 'secure a place', 'lease', and 'like-minded'. There are a few minor errors, such as the unnecessary apostrophe in 'recommendation's' and 'uni's', and a spelling error in 'Accomodation' (should be 'Accommodation'). While these do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching the highest bands. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and ensure consistent spelling of key terms. Your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly and effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'if' clause and the use of 'while' to contrast ideas. There are some punctuation and grammatical slips, such as the comma splice in '...rental options available, you can choose...' and the missing apostrophe in 'Its' (should be 'It's'). Despite these occasional errors, the meaning is always clear, and the grammar does not hinder the reader's understanding. To improve, focus on sentence boundary punctuation and ensure subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout your writing.
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