Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-28
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 8.0)
Subject: Housing advice for university!
Hi Alex,
Huge congratulations on getting a place! You're going to love it there.
When I was studying, I lived in a shared Victorian terrace house on Elm Road. It was a bit drafty and the landlord was slow to fix the heating, but being a ten-minute walk from the campus library made all those late-night study sessions manageable.
The best way to find a place is through the university’s official accommodation office portal. They vet all the landlords, which saves you from potential scams on random classified sites.
A major mistake students make is signing leases too quickly with people they barely know just to lock something down. Make sure you actually get along with your prospective flatmates and check that utilities are included in the rent before you sign anything.
Let me know if you want me to look over any lease agreements!
Best,
Sam
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5
You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described your previous living situation (Victorian terrace house on Elm Road), provided a clear recommendation for finding accommodation (the university portal), and offered a relevant warning regarding lease agreements and flatmates. The tone is appropriately informal and friendly, fitting the email format perfectly. The ideas are well-developed and directly relevant to the task instructions. You have maintained a consistent focus throughout the response, ensuring that the reader receives helpful and practical advice. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements effectively.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5
The email is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from your personal experience to practical advice and then to a warning. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'When I was studying,' 'The best way,' and 'A major mistake,' which help guide the reader through the text. The paragraphing is clear and appropriate for an email format. There is a natural flow between sentences, and the use of referencing is precise, making the text easy to follow and coherent throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is well-suited to the context of university life and housing. Phrases such as 'shared Victorian terrace house,' 'vet all the landlords,' 'potential scams,' and 'prospective flatmates' show a natural and precise use of language. The vocabulary is varied and used with flexibility, contributing to the overall clarity and tone of the email. There are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation, and the language used is sophisticated enough to convey your points effectively without being overly formal or unnatural for a friend-to-friend communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0
Your grammar is highly accurate, with a variety of sentence structures used throughout the email. You successfully employ complex sentences, such as 'It was a bit drafty and the landlord was slow to fix the heating, but being a ten-minute walk from the campus library made all those late-night study sessions manageable.' Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no grammatical errors that impede communication. The control over tense and structure is consistent, and the majority of your sentences are error-free, reflecting a high level of grammatical competence appropriate for this task.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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