Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-13

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 5.5)

Dear Suresh,

I hope you are doing great, It is good to hearing that you got admission at the university. I want to inform you that When I did study at the same educational institution I lived in Berry which was consider cheaper city as compared to other city.

I would like to inform you that if you are looking cheaper and private room. Facebook market place would be the best option for you. where you can find place for residing very easily.

The other crucial thing which you should keep in mind that there are many scammers on internet who offer cheaper place to reside. make sure you visit first and see property before rent.

I look forward to catching you soon.

Best regards,

Nav

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses all three bullet points: describing your past accommodation, recommending a search method, and warning about scams. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which limits the development of your ideas. For instance, the description of where you lived is quite brief and lacks descriptive detail that would make the advice more helpful or engaging. To improve, you should expand on your personal experiences and provide more specific, well-developed advice for your friend to ensure the task is fully satisfied.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The email is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your points. You use basic cohesive devices like 'The other crucial thing' and 'I would like to inform you that' to transition between ideas. However, the flow is somewhat mechanical, and the connection between sentences could be smoother. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your referencing (e.g., 'where you can find place') is more precise to avoid ambiguity.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use phrases like 'cheaper city' and 'crucial thing', which are functional but lack variety. There are also some minor word-choice errors, such as 'good to hearing' instead of 'good to hear' and 'find place for residing' instead of 'find a place to live'. To improve, try to incorporate more natural collocations and a wider range of vocabulary related to housing and advice-giving.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'It is good to hearing' (verb form), 'When I did study' (unnecessary auxiliary), and 'which was consider cheaper' (passive voice error). Additionally, there are punctuation issues, such as the comma splice in the first sentence. While you use some complex structures, they are often inaccurate. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct verb tenses will significantly improve your clarity and accuracy.

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

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