Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-17

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 Anjali,

I hope this letter finds you well and good. I am extremely happy for you as you have been offered a course at your dream institute. I am answering all your concerns about finding an accommodation for the duration of your study in this letter.

When I studied there, I used to live in the university hostel. I applied for the hostel at time of admission for the course. It was only a few blocks away from the university and hardly took 10 minutes walk to reach each building. However the accommodation fee was very high but the facilities were worth paying that amount.

I recommend you to ask the university to accommodate you in the hostel. If not they may help you look for other places near by the premises. Moreover, you can ask your fellow students for a place to live. Facebook marketplace can be a good source to do so as well. But the best way is to ask the uni.

Although it doesn't seem difficult to search but there is a lot to keep in mind while looking for a room. Research on your own before renting a place because of the increased number of scams. It happens to many that they pay for the place and never get a chance to live there. Distance from the university must be kept in mind so that you don't have to spend much time travelling to and from the premises.

I wish this information helps you find accommodation. Feel free to contact me if you whenever you want. I hope to see you soon.

Kind Regards,

Harpreet.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described your past experience in the university hostel, provided clear recommendations for finding accommodation, and included a relevant warning about potential scams. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, and the purpose of the email is clear throughout. The ideas are well-developed and provide sufficient detail to be helpful to the recipient. You have maintained a consistent focus on the task requirements from start to finish, ensuring that the reader receives comprehensive advice.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The email is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing specific points, and a polite closing. You use paragraphing effectively to separate the different topics. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Moreover', and 'Although' are used to link ideas, though some transitions could be more varied. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the referencing is clear throughout the text. The structure is easy to follow, and the overall flow of the letter is natural and coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'dream institute', 'accommodation fee', and 'increased number of scams' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the context, there is room to incorporate more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions to reach a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication, and your spelling is accurate throughout the email.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. While there are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'at time of admission' (should be 'at the time of admission') and 'near by the premises' (should be 'near the premises'), these do not hinder understanding. Your control over punctuation and sentence boundaries is generally good. To improve, focus on article usage and prepositional phrases to ensure greater precision in your writing.

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

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