Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-02
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 jannat,
I am being well . I hope you are well also additionally ,I saw the new batch of 2026 that is coming in our university . My dear friend I also saw your name . I was very delighted , when I saw your name in the list . You work very hard to get admission in this university . Basically , it is the best university in our city that provides the facility of Computer Science . I like to tell you some advice that will help you to survive in this university . I have been lived here almost 3 years and this is my last year now .Moreover , I know everything about this university . I like to share some ideas with you so your first day of university would not be bad . Firstly , You have to be very confident that you own this place . Also don't make friends in the first day of university . There are all snakes friends that will try to distract you from your path . You have to set the mind set that you are here . Because you are going to shine . Please chose degree that is good for you and you have interest in it . Otherwise if you have any confusion you can talk to me anytime . I am available for you all the time . Best of luck
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 address the core requirements of the prompt. While you mention being a student, you do not describe where you lived (e.g., dorms, shared house, city center), nor do you provide a recommendation on how to find accommodation (e.g., university websites, local agencies, student forums). Furthermore, you do not warn the friend about common mistakes when choosing housing. Instead, the letter focuses on general advice about university life, such as avoiding 'snakes' and being confident. Because the specific bullet points regarding accommodation were ignored, the task is not fulfilled.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The letter lacks a clear structure. It is written as a single block of text rather than using paragraphs to separate the different points requested. While there are some attempts at cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'Firstly', their use is often mechanical or misplaced. The flow of ideas is disjointed, moving from the friend's admission to general university advice without a logical progression related to the prompt's requirements. The lack of paragraphing makes the text difficult to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'I am being well' and 'I like to tell you' are unnatural. There is an attempt to use more descriptive language with words like 'delighted' and 'distract', but the overall range is limited. Some word choices are inappropriate for the context, such as referring to fellow students as 'snakes'. To improve, you should focus on using more precise vocabulary related to housing and academic life, and work on natural collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'I have been lived here' (should be 'I have lived here'), 'in the first day' (should be 'on the first day'), and 'chose degree' (should be 'choose a degree'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited use of complex sentences. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the placement of commas and spaces before punctuation marks. A greater focus on verb tenses and basic sentence construction is needed.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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