Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-06

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 7.5)

Dear friend,

I am writing this letter to suggest how you can find a perfect place to stay during your studies.

When I was a student, I lived in a beautiful 3-bedroom house located near the university, which had a stunning mountain view and a large backyard. The location was easy to commute to the university and had all grocery and shopping stores around it.

I suggest that you look for rental houses on Facebook Marketplace, where you have the opportunity to send a message to the landlord directly, and you can discuss all details about rent, terms and conditions.

Unfortunately, you will face many fraudulent activities on the aforementioned marketplace, so I warn you that you will not to transfer any advance money online without any proof of receipt. Not only that, but you also have to make sure the facilities and equipment of the house work properly and are well maintained when you go to view the accommodation.

I hope my advice would be helpful to you.

Yours lovingly,

Ravi Prajapati

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly described your previous accommodation, provided a specific recommendation for finding a place, and included a relevant warning regarding potential scams. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant to the task requirements. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail in your recommendation or warning to further extend the response, but overall, the task is fully satisfied.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

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 cautionary note. You use cohesive devices such as 'Not only that, but you also' and 'the aforementioned marketplace' effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sections of the email. The flow is natural and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the context, such as 'fraudulent activities', 'commute', and 'well maintained'. The language is natural and fits the informal yet informative tone of the email. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication. While the vocabulary is sufficient and accurate, incorporating a few more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions could elevate the response further. Overall, the lexical range is solid and effectively conveys your message.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most sentences are error-free, though there are a few minor slips, such as 'you will not to transfer' (should be 'you will not transfer') and 'I hope my advice would be helpful' (could be 'will be'). These minor grammatical inaccuracies do not impede understanding. Your control over punctuation and sentence construction is generally strong, and the variety of structures used is sufficient for this task type.

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

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