Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-03
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 Rohan,
It's been ages since we last met. I hope you're doing well. I'm glad that you asked for advice regarding the accommodation near the university, and I'd be more than happy to help you.
When I started studying at the university, accommodation was the hardest part to tackle. I not only asked many rental companies in the area around the university, but also inquired on social media platforms, such as Facebook Marketplace. Luckily, I found a wonderful apartment in the university rental.
To give you a suggestion, I'd recommend you ask at the university rental office. They have been a constant support throughout the process, including help with the lease agreement and the accurate start date of moving in.
Moreover, I want to warn you about the fraud that has happened to one of my friends. He gave the first month of rent to an unknown person over the phone agreement and later, he refused to let him move into the apartment. Therefore, you should make sure that you won't make this silly mistake when searching for an apartment.
Let me know if you need more help with accommodation.
Best regards,
Sujal Patel
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described your own living situation, provided a clear recommendation for finding housing, and included a relevant warning about potential fraud. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the context of a student moving to a new university. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more descriptive detail about the specific type of accommodation you lived in, such as its location or proximity to campus, to further enhance the personal touch.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0
The email is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a polite closing. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Moreover', 'Therefore', and 'Luckily', which help the reader follow your train of thought. The paragraphing is appropriate for an informal email, and the progression of ideas is smooth. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure is coherent. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, and the flow of information is natural and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'tackle', 'inquired', and 'constant support' are used correctly and fit the context well. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'university rental' (which sounds slightly unnatural; 'university housing' or 'student accommodation' would be better) and 'phone agreement' (which could be 'verbal agreement'). However, these do not impede communication. You have a sufficient range to convey your meaning with precision, and the vocabulary is appropriate for the informal tone of the letter.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control of grammar is generally strong. There are a few minor slips, such as 'the accurate start date of moving in' (which is slightly awkward) and 'he refused to let him move' (where the pronoun 'he' is ambiguous as to whether it refers to the fraudster or the friend). Despite these minor issues, your grammar is accurate enough that it never causes confusion. You show good control over punctuation and sentence construction.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.