Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-10

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 Gagan,

Hope this letter finds you in good health. I am writing this letter to express a advice about finding a place to live that is near by university.

Actually, when I was student at Algoma university, Brampton at that time I was living in rose garden hostel that is situated in Brampton downtown near by university. It was convenience to go to university while living there and best way to reduce expense of traveling.

According to my point of view, you have to try at same hostel where i lived before because it is nearest to the university and charges of living expense are cheapest than private rooms .Moreover, they are also provide meals that is included in charges of hostel. I saw students who chose their accommodation far from their colleges always having problems with traveling in winter season due to snow or storm . That's why i recommend you that find nearest place to live .

Hope you will get good accommodation to live and we will meet soon.

Best regards,

Jaspreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the task: describing your previous accommodation, recommending a search method, and warning about common mistakes. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the warning about students living far away is relevant but could be expanded with more specific advice on how to avoid such pitfalls (e.g., checking bus routes or proximity to amenities). The content is clear and fulfills the requirements of the prompt effectively, though it lacks the depth required for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The email is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific part of the prompt. There is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the personal experience, recommendations, and the warning. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Moreover', 'That's why'). Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas more naturally. The paragraphing is sufficient for this task type.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'express a advice' (should be 'give some advice') and 'it was convenience' (should be 'it was convenient'). The student relies on basic vocabulary like 'cheapest' and 'good accommodation'. While the meaning is always clear, the range is limited, and there is little attempt to use less common lexical items or idiomatic expressions that would demonstrate a higher level of language control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'near by university' (missing article 'the'), 'I was student' (missing article 'a'), and 'they are also provide' (incorrect verb form). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are issues with spacing and capitalization. While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, the correct use of articles, and ensuring that verb tenses remain consistent.

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

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