Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-26
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 5.0)
Dear Tim,
First of all congratulations my friend to get a seat in UBC university and now you are looking for accommodation to live ,well i know some places ,i think those will be best options for you.
You know i studied there i lived just close to university and the name of the building was scott 77 living which was built new at that time. I think that apartment is the best because from there we have to walk just 10 minutes and also all grocery stores are near to building on just 5 minutes.
I will definitely recommend you this scott living because this apartment is awesome and also in budget. I have contact of manager of that building , you can conta
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the task. While you addressed the first two bullet points—describing where you lived and recommending a way to look for accommodation—the response is incomplete. You failed to address the third bullet point regarding warnings about common mistakes. Furthermore, the email ends abruptly mid-sentence, leaving the task unfinished. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are covered and provide sufficient detail to meet the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter lacks a clear structure and logical progression. The paragraphing is inconsistent, and the abrupt ending makes it difficult to follow the flow of ideas. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link sentences and ideas together; for example, the transition between the introduction and the description of the apartment is disjointed. To improve, use linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'however' to connect your thoughts and ensure each paragraph has a clear focus.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, relying on simple descriptors like 'best' and 'awesome'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'get a seat in UBC university' (should be 'get a place at UBC') and 'I have contact of manager' (should be 'I have the contact details of the manager'). The range of vocabulary is limited, which hinders the ability to express ideas with precision or naturalness.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. There are issues with article usage ('the university', 'the manager'), punctuation (missing commas and run-on sentences), and sentence structure. For instance, 'First of all congratulations my friend to get a seat' is grammatically incorrect and lacks proper structure. The range of sentence structures is very limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences. You should focus on using a wider variety of complex sentence structures and proofreading for basic errors in articles and prepositions.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.