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 Rajiv,
I am happy to read your letter, you are selecting in our university. This university is good for your course and provide more information regarding your subjects. Teachers are also more cooperative. I'm live in hostel. It is quiet place. We can easily learn there also easily help the each other . Moreover food court also good. But you should fill the form first for hostel because rooms are limited. You should go to office in the college and ask for hostel room so the provide form.
Moreover, you read the all instructions carefully. Some time student donot read carefully form and face the issue in future regarding hostel rule. Accommodation have own strict rule regarding timings and food. If any one break the rule, management will take hard action regarding it. I am happy for you.
Yours friend
Gurpreet
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses all three bullet points: describing your past accommodation, recommending a search method, and warning about common mistakes. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited, and the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the score. The tone is generally appropriate for a letter to a friend, but the lack of detail makes the advice feel somewhat superficial. To improve, you should expand on your personal experience with the hostel and provide more specific, actionable advice regarding the search process and potential pitfalls.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The email is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. For example, 'Moreover' is used twice in a short space, and the transition between sentences is often abrupt. The logical flow is sometimes hindered by grammatical errors, making it difficult to connect ideas smoothly. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed idea to create a more natural progression.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. You rely on simple words like 'good', 'happy', and 'easy'. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'you are selecting in our university' (should be 'you have been accepted') and 'ask for hostel room so the provide form' (should be 'so they provide a form'). To reach a higher band, you need to use a more varied range of vocabulary, including less common lexical items and more precise collocations related to university life and housing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with verb tenses ('I'm live in hostel'), articles ('the all instructions'), and sentence structure ('Some time student donot read carefully form'). These errors occasionally impede the clarity of your message. While you attempt some complex ideas, the execution is often faulty. You should focus on mastering basic sentence structures and subject-verb agreement before attempting more complex forms. Proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb forms would significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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