Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-02
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 Jack,
I hope you're doing good. I got to know that you need my advice about a place to live.
When I was a student in the university I lived right across the road in a student apartment. The apartment was close to the campus and it really helped me out in saving transportation cost. I was very comfortable there as I easily went to and fro to the university in between my classes and during break.
My recommendation to you will be to find an apartment near to the university and I got a lot of help from the university's student affairs department. There is a dedicated section there for solving all problems related to the students and I have a friend who has recently joined that department. I'm sure she will help you if you mention my name and batch.
I will not recommend you to choose private rooms or sharing accommodation in the other block as the cost of traveling to the university is quite high and its going to cause you inconvenience because you will frequently be coming and going to the university.
If you need other help I'm always available.
Yours truly
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described your past living situation, provided a clear recommendation for finding accommodation, and offered a warning regarding the pitfalls of choosing distant housing. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose of the email is clear throughout. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the 'mistakes' section by providing a more specific example of what makes private rooms inconvenient, such as the lack of social opportunities or hidden utility costs, rather than focusing solely on travel time.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The email is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on one of the required points, which helps the reader follow your advice easily. You use some cohesive devices like 'When I was a student' and 'My recommendation to you will be', which effectively link your thoughts. However, the transition between the recommendation and the warning could be smoother. Using more varied linking words or phrases (e.g., 'On the other hand', 'Furthermore', 'Consequently') would improve the flow and make the structure feel less mechanical.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'dedicated section', 'inconvenience', and 'to and fro' are used correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'I got to know that' (better as 'I heard that' or 'I was pleased to hear') and 'saving transportation cost' (better as 'saving on transportation costs'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating more precise or idiomatic expressions would elevate the response to a higher band.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and your meaning is always clear. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'I easily went to and fro to the university' (the second 'to' is redundant) and 'its going to cause' (should be 'it's'). Additionally, 'I will not recommend you to choose' is slightly unnatural; 'I would not recommend choosing' is more idiomatic. Despite these errors, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of contractions.
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