Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-07-31

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 8.5)

Dear krima,

I hope you're doing well. Congratulations on getting a place at the university! I'm really happy for you.

When I was studying there, I lived in a shared apartment about fifteen minutes from the campus. I had my own bedroom but shared the kitchen and bathroom with three other students. It was affordable, and I made some good friends there.

I think the best way to find accommodation is to join the university's student housing website or social media groups where students advertise rooms. You can also ask the university's accommodation office for advice because they usually have a list of trusted landlords.

One mistake many students make is choosing the cheapest place without checking how far it is from the university. Others sign a contract without visiting the property or reading the agreement carefully. Make sure you check the condition of the accommodation and ask about extra costs such as internet and utility bills before making a decision.

I hope you find a comfortable place soon. Let me know if you need any more advice.

Best wishes,

Birth

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly described your previous living situation, provided practical recommendations for finding accommodation, and offered relevant warnings regarding common mistakes. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, and the purpose of the communication is clear from the beginning. The ideas are well-developed and directly relevant to the task instructions, showing a good understanding of the requirements for a General Training Task 1 letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The email is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which makes the letter easy to follow. You have used appropriate cohesive devices such as 'When I was studying there', 'I think the best way', and 'One mistake many students make' to link your ideas smoothly. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall coherence of the message. The flow between sentences is natural and supports the reader's understanding throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary used is natural and appropriate for the context of an informal email. You have successfully used topic-specific collocations such as 'shared apartment', 'trusted landlords', and 'utility bills'. While the vocabulary is generally accurate and sufficient to convey your message clearly, it remains within a standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise or sophisticated descriptive language, but the current range is perfectly adequate for the task and demonstrates a good command of English.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The response demonstrates a good control of grammatical structures. You have used a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as 'One mistake many students make is choosing the cheapest place without checking how far it is from the university.' There are very few errors, and those that exist do not impede communication. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence construction is varied enough to maintain interest. The grammar is consistent and reliable throughout the entire piece.

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