Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-07
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 6.5)
Dear Pushti,
I hope you are doing well. I am writing to advice you selecting a good place to live near university.
First of all, I am happy to hear about getting a placement in my university. I came to Edmonton in the September 2024. And I gave priority to live near to the campus. This is because in the winter, it will be more difficult to commute by bus. So I suggest you to choose apartment that just behind the university. It takes only 5 minutes to reach there by walking. I am also deciding to move there in the next month as I find it more convenient and cheaper apartment.
Apart from that, I suggest you to check and read lease agreement before signing. As some people make fraud to new commers. Moreover , they might charge extra rent to students because majority of new students are not aware about the reasonable rents and agreements. For this reason, you should be alert and think twice before signing on any documents.
Please let me know if you need any further assistance, I will be happy to assist you.
I am look forward to hearing from you. Please let me inform your decision and see you soon!
Best Regards,
Dipali Rabari
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
You have addressed all three bullet points of the task effectively. You described your past living situation near the campus, recommended the best way to find accommodation, and provided a clear warning about potential scams. The tone is appropriate for an email to a friend, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, providing helpful advice that directly answers the prompt. You maintained a consistent, friendly tone throughout the response, which is essential for a General Training Task 1 letter.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The email is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on one of the required points, which helps the reader follow your advice easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Apart from that', and 'Moreover' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with sentence flow, such as the fragmented sentence 'And I gave priority to live near to the campus.' Improving the variety of linking words would help the flow feel more natural.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You have an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. You use relevant terms like 'lease agreement', 'commute', and 'convenient'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'I am writing to advice you selecting' (should be 'advise you on selecting') and 'make fraud to new commers' (should be 'commit fraud against newcomers'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and common collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'I am writing to advice you' (verb/noun confusion), 'I came to Edmonton in the September 2024' (incorrect article usage), and 'I am look forward to' (incorrect verb form). Additionally, there are some punctuation issues, such as the space before the comma in 'Moreover ,'. To reach a higher band, you should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions, as these errors occur frequently throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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