Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-18

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 Alan,

I am writing to you to help you to find suitable place for your stay during your course in the university.

As you know I also completed the same course from same university. I tried a lot of place such hostels, paying guests and flats also. The place that I like most was flat where I stayed with classmates. The owner was so nice to us as he had his son of our age and was in my class.

I would say this is one of the most important decision for entire course because it very difficult to shift once you buy your amenities. The best way to find the accommodation would be university's website as they remove bad reviews posting from it though it might is bit expensive but I am sure that would be best in terms of everything.

I would like to aware certain things before you will pay for your living. The most important things is to read contract carefully, there should not be any hidden clauses otherwise you will be in problem later. Always choose the flatmates who are really willing to study otherwise you will not able to concentrate on your studies as well.

You can call me anytime if you need any help. Best of Luck for your future.

Your lovingly,

Shaun

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: describing your past accommodation, recommending a search method, and providing warnings. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention the university website, you could have elaborated on why it is safer or more reliable. Similarly, the warning about flatmates is a good point, but it lacks specific detail. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more descriptive language or personal anecdotes to provide a more comprehensive response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The email is logically organized into paragraphs, each focusing on one of the bullet points. There is a clear progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For instance, the transition between sentences could be smoother; phrases like 'I would say' and 'I would like to aware' are used as simple signposts. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'the same course from same university', which could be improved with better articles and conjunctions to link ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'amenities', 'hidden clauses', and 'contract'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'I would like to aware certain things' (should be 'make you aware of') and 'complete the same course from same university' (should be 'at the same university'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. Expanding your range of collocations would help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'it very difficult' (missing 'is'), 'might is bit expensive' (incorrect verb usage), and 'you will not able' (missing 'be'). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding your meaning. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of auxiliary verbs. Increasing the frequency of error-free sentences will help you move into the higher band range.

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

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