Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-24

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 Megha,

I am writing this letter to you about you've asked for advice to find a place. I lived in a one-bedroom apartment which is 5 minutes walking distance from the university. The first and foremost reason to live there is because it is near to the university and you will find many amenities near to the university like grocery stores, pharmacy, playground and laundry shop.

I would recommend this building named as XYZ very close to the university. To find best accommodation prices and deals you can visit their website. By doing this you can check the availability, prices and pictures of the apartment by sitting at your home. Also, you can book an appointment with the consultant and visit their in person.

Although, you can find many ways to find your accommodation like I did by seeing advertisements on Instagram and Facebook but I would suggest you be aware from these adds because most of them are fake and people trap you by sending fake photos. I want you to not do any kind of mistakes that I did while finding a place. Its always best to google list of accommodations and choose according to your own information.

I hope this information will be suitable for you. Don't hesitate to contact me again.

Regards,

Palak

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You described your past living situation, provided a clear recommendation for finding accommodation, and offered a relevant warning regarding online scams. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout. To improve, you could expand slightly on the 'why' behind your warning or provide more specific details about the university area to further develop your ideas, which would help move your response toward a higher band score.

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 such as 'first and foremost,' 'also,' and 'although' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the paragraphing could be more distinct to separate the advice from the warning. The flow between sentences is generally smooth, but occasionally the connection between ideas could be tightened to ensure a more natural progression of information.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'amenities,' 'consultant,' and 'accommodation' correctly. There are some minor word choice issues, such as 'be aware from these adds' (should be 'be wary of these ads') and 'trap you' (which is slightly informal). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision of less common lexical items that would be expected at a higher band level. Focusing on collocations and more precise phrasing will enhance your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'you've asked for advice to find' (should be 'you asked for advice on finding'), 'visit their in person' (should be 'visit them in person'), and 'do any kind of mistakes' (should be 'make any mistakes'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions and articles, as these are the most frequent areas where your accuracy slips.

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

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