Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-05

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 6.0)

Dear Jinal,

First and foremost, Congratulations for getting an offer letter from University of Toronto. Here I am writing this email to let you know that how you can find accommodation near University of Toronto.

When I was studying in University of Toronto, I used to live nearby to the main campus building in a house which is located on Main Street. I found that place on online, specifically on Kijiji.com.

Here I would like to recommends some websites where you can check online and go for viewing before you finalize. You can check multiple rental websites such as Kijiji.com, Facebook marketplace, and Room24.com. Also I am attaching a visiting card with this email of a realter who is one of friend there, He will be the perfect person to help you find a place to live.

Also I would like to warn you regarding few things which usually new students make before choosing their accommodation, Please make sure to not pay anything before you see the place in person as there are lot of scams going on nowadays on online. Please do not sign a lease before reading and understanding each and every point.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding finding you new home, All the best for your new beginning.

Best wishes,

Harsh Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly described your past living situation, provided actionable advice on how to search for accommodation, and included a relevant warning about potential scams. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific details about your past experience, such as the benefits of the location or the type of accommodation, to further develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The email is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'First and foremost' and 'Also', to link your ideas. However, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is more precise. For example, the transition between the recommendation of websites and the mention of the realtor is slightly abrupt. Overall, the message is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'accommodation', 'rental websites', and 'lease'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'realter' (realtor) and 'one of friend' (one of my friends). Additionally, phrases like 'viewing before you finalize' are slightly unnatural. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring correct spelling of professional terms. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly throughout the email.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'let you know that how you can' (remove 'that'), 'I found that place on online' (remove 'on'), and 'regarding few things' (regarding a few things). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma splices and the use of capital letters after commas. Increasing your control over articles and prepositions will help improve the accuracy of your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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