Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-27

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 6.0)

Dear Candy,

I am thrilled to know that you have secured your admission at Toronto university where I used to be a student. As per your email I remember the semester begins from this September to next year January.

To start with, the downtown campus have some amazing views and surroundings to explore. I used to be a tenant at one of the condos located at the St. Jarvis street, just 900 meters away from the campus. A nice lady at her mid 60's rented the place to all the students from Toronto university. Taking a bus or a cab was convenient and cheaper at the same time.

Additionally, there's a hostel accommodation provided by the university at lower cost. Remember to check out the website before booking or renting any place. Meals are free if you opt to live on campus hostel and you can also volunteer for any on campus opportunity.

I hope you find a wonderful place to stay and enjoy your student journey ahead. Let me know if you have any following questions.

Best Regards,

Neh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all three bullet points of the task. You described your past accommodation, recommended a way to search, and provided advice. However, the third bullet point regarding a warning about mistakes students make is under-developed. You mentioned checking the website, but you did not explicitly warn the friend about common pitfalls or mistakes to avoid, such as scams or signing contracts without viewing the property. To reach a higher band, ensure each bullet point is fully extended with specific, relevant advice rather than just general information.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The email is logically organized with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different topics. You use some cohesive devices like 'To start with' and 'Additionally' to transition between ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes a bit mechanical. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother. For example, the transition from describing your past home to the advice about the hostel could be more naturally integrated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'secured your admission', 'tenant', and 'convenient'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'at the St. Jarvis street' (should be 'on') and 'at her mid 60's' (should be 'in'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using more precise prepositions and idiomatic collocations related to housing and student life.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the downtown campus have' (subject-verb agreement: should be 'has') and 'any following questions' (should be 'any further questions'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not cause difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher score, work on subject-verb agreement and ensure that complex sentences are constructed with greater accuracy. Proofreading for small articles and prepositions would also help improve your overall accuracy.

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

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