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 Aman,

I hope you are doing well. I was thrilled to know that you have been offered a course at my old university. Since you asked about the accommodation, I will be sharing what worked for me.

While studying at the university, I used live in a shared flat with my college friend. The flat was at a walking distance from the main campus. Therefore, I could attend the early morning lectures without worrying about the public transit. The flat was spacious, affordable and most of the neighbours were students. Thus, the environment was lively and energetic.

The best way to start looking for the accommodation is to search at university's website since only verified rental options will be available on the website. You can also use filters to compare prices and distance from the campus. Another way of searching is to take assistance of local rental agencies. These can provide with all the necessary information about the landlord and renting spaces. You can also join the students online groups, these can provide details about the places unavailable at other websites.

One thing that you should keep in mind while making decision about the accommodation is that do not take any step in hustle. Before making agreement with landlord, read all the instructions, rules and clauses included in the documents to avoid any fraud.

I can also help you to decide if you are considering any one of the rental properties.

I hope to meet you soon.

Warm wishes,

Daman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You described your past living situation clearly, provided practical recommendations for finding accommodation, and included a relevant warning about potential pitfalls. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, maintaining a consistent and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are well-developed, and the structure follows the requirements of a General Training Task 1 letter perfectly. There are no omissions, and the content is entirely relevant to the task instructions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your ideas easily. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Thus', and 'Another way of searching' to link your sentences and ideas. The progression of information is smooth, moving from your personal experience to actionable advice and finally to a cautionary note. The use of referencing is generally clear, and the overall flow is natural and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context, such as 'thrilled', 'spacious', 'affordable', and 'verified rental options'. There is an attempt to use less common collocations, which is positive. However, there are a few minor inaccuracies, such as 'take assistance of' (should be 'seek assistance from') and 'making agreement' (should be 'signing an agreement'). Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning precisely and naturally throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, and your meaning is always clear. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'I used live' (should be 'I used to live') and 'do not take any step in hustle' (should be 'do not rush into any decisions'). Additionally, 'provide with all the necessary information' is slightly awkward; 'provide you with' would be more accurate. These errors are non-systematic and do not impede communication, reflecting a solid command of grammar.

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

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