Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)
Dear Ali,
I hope you are doing well. Congratulations on getting admission to the MPH program at Harvard University! I'm so proud of you. You asked for my recommendation about a place to live.
When I was studying there, I used to live in the campus dorm just a five-minute walk from my department. It was a shared room with one of my classmates. The dorm itself was quite spacious, with essential amenities including a library, a laundry area, and a mess hall for students.
Nowadays, there are multiple resources to find accommodation. For example, you can ask the housing director directly, or you can search online through Facebook pages or WhatsApp groups for residential purposes. You can also explore off-campus housing options as well. They are often really affordable.
That being said, you need to beware of the housing scams that commonly happen to first-year students. If anyone asks you to pay in advance, just report them to the residential assistant of the campus. Additionally, you should confirm beforehand if you're booking a single-bed apartment or a shared room. This will prevent you from confusion later.
I hope to meet you soon once you come to Boston. Take care!
Best,
Iqra
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly described your past living situation, provided actionable advice on how to search for accommodation, and gave relevant warnings regarding scams and booking details. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, maintaining a friendly and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the email is clear from the beginning. You have successfully covered all requirements of the task in a natural and coherent manner.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The email is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task, which helps the reader follow your points easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Nowadays', 'For example', 'That being said', and 'Additionally' to link your ideas effectively. The progression of information is smooth, moving from your personal experience to general advice and then to specific warnings. The structure is coherent and the flow of ideas is natural throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for this informal/semi-formal context. Phrases like 'essential amenities', 'off-campus housing options', and 'pay in advance' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions to reach the highest band. There are no spelling errors, and the word choice is consistently precise enough to convey your meaning without any ambiguity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
Your grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional sentences ('If anyone asks you...') and relative clauses ('...where you studied') effectively. There are very few errors, and those that exist do not impede communication. The punctuation is handled well, and the sentence variety keeps the writing engaging. The control over verb tenses, particularly when shifting from your past experience to present advice, is consistent and correct.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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