Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-15

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 6.5)

Dear Ashish,

I hope you are in the pink of health.

I am writing this letter to congratulate you! I am very happy for you that you received the letter of acceptance from Macewan University.

During my studies, I lived in the Macewan residence on campus, with having modern rooms and multiple amenities. In addition, a 500-metre walk from the University, which took a maximum of 5 minutes to walk.

If you find it interesting to live in a campus home you can book your home on the University website where you can find virtual videos of the rooms and area. Whereas, if you would like to live by your own, like some of my other friends who are living independently outside by renting a house or apartment. If you are interested, you can contact on number [redacted phone] or visit www.sunrisehousing for facilities at an affordable price.

However, I would like to warn on some basic mistakes. For instance, find a place to live where you can easily find public transport facilities and a place with a store like Walmart or Superstore to get things easily.

I hope this information is helpful, and if you need any help, ask me at any time.

Wishing luck,

Harshil

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You described your past living situation, provided a recommendation for finding accommodation, and offered a warning regarding common mistakes. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. To improve, ensure that your advice is more clearly linked to the 'mistakes' bullet point; currently, you suggest what to look for (transport/stores) rather than explicitly warning against common pitfalls students encounter, such as signing contracts without viewing properties or ignoring hidden costs. Overall, the response is well-developed and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The email is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a closing. You use some cohesive devices like 'In addition,' 'However,' and 'For instance,' which help the flow of ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or abrupt, such as the start of the second paragraph. The paragraphing is appropriate for an informal email. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the progression between sentences feels more natural and less like a list of points.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions like 'in the pink of health.' You use relevant terms such as 'residence,' 'amenities,' and 'independently.' There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'book your home' (better: 'book your accommodation') and 'contact on number' (better: 'contact me at this number'). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating more precise academic or descriptive collocations would enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'with having modern rooms' (should be 'which had modern rooms') and 'live by your own' (should be 'live on your own'). Additionally, the sentence 'In addition, a 500-metre walk...' is a fragment as it lacks a main verb. While these errors are present, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on ensuring every sentence has a clear subject and verb, and try to use a wider variety of complex structures with greater accuracy.

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

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