Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-21
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 7.0)
Dear Sisil,
I was very delighted to hear from you, and congratulations on getting a place at the same university where I studied. I am sure you will love it there. I would be very happy to assist you in finding the best accommodation.
When I was student, I stayed in a paying guest called Manav Mandir, which is close to the campus, just a short trip from the university. The thing I admire most about this PG is its large library, where I can study peacefully without any distractions.
I would highly recommend you to look for accommodation nearby, so it will save your time and make your daily routine convenient. To search the good place, there is a website called "Ghar For Rent" where you can find affordable housing options, and they also provide meals for dietary restricted people, so I believe this will be helpful for you, as you are a vegetarian. Moreover, the thing you should avoid is signing an agreement more than six months at any place so that you can change it if you feel uncomfortable or discover the better options.
Hopefully, You find the comfortable place. Let me know if you need any help.
Catch up soon,
Mann Patel
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly described your past accommodation at 'Manav Mandir', provided a specific recommendation for a website to search for housing, and offered a practical warning regarding lease agreements. 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 relevant to the prompt, meeting the requirements for a Band 7 or higher. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more descriptive detail about the 'Manav Mandir' experience to further engage the reader.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The email is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a closing. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different topics. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'To search the good place', and 'so that' to link ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated. For instance, 'To search the good place' is slightly unnatural; 'To find a suitable place' would be more cohesive. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the letter maintains a consistent focus.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'dietary restricted', 'affordable housing', and 'convenient'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'paying guest' (which is a specific regional term) and 'search the good place' (which should be 'search for a good place'). While you communicate your meaning effectively, the vocabulary is functional rather than sophisticated. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and idiomatic expressions that would naturally occur in an informal email to a friend.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'The thing I admire most about this PG is its large library, where I can study peacefully'. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'When I was student' (missing an article: 'a student') and 'signing an agreement more than six months' (should be 'for more than'). However, these errors do not impede communication. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence variety is sufficient to convey your message clearly. Focusing on article usage and prepositional phrases will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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