Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Alina,

I hope you and your family is doing well. It's been long time since we spoke.

Last time we talked over a phone on your birthday.

Congratulations on getting admitted to Concordia University. I was a part of this university from 2023 to 2025 and was a student of the Computer Science faculty. I used to live near Guy Street which was in very close vicinity of the campus.

I can understand that It is very difficult to find a place to live when you are quite new to the city; However, there are lot of free resources provided by the university on its portal. For instance, the ideal resource would be to use the FindMyPlace portal provided by Concordia University, which lists down all the current available places which are student friendly.

As I know it's your first time living far away from family in a complete new place, there will be certain temptations which can be make you choose the wrong apartment to live. For example, choosing a place just because it is close to the university does not necessarily means it is the ideal place to stay, as there might be insects or bed bugs in that place. Hence, it is always recommended to check the place before selecting and signing the lease agreement. On the other side, choosing the apartment just because it is spacious does not mean it is the perfect, because the rent could be costly too. So, we need to avoid such mistakes while selecting the location to stay.

I hope this suggestions makes the process easier for you. All the best for your studies. Lets keep in touch.

Best Regards,

Alex

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 past living situation near Guy Street, provided a specific recommendation regarding the 'FindMyPlace' portal, and offered relevant warnings about common pitfalls like pest issues and over-prioritizing proximity. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a friend, maintaining a friendly and helpful persona throughout. The ideas are well-developed and directly relevant to the task requirements, ensuring the reader receives comprehensive advice. No parts of the prompt were omitted, and the purpose of the email is clear from the outset.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The email is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task, which aids readability. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'For instance', 'However', and 'Hence' to link your thoughts. While the transition between the introduction and the body could be slightly smoother, the overall structure is effective. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different topics, and the referencing (e.g., 'that place', 'such mistakes') is generally clear and helps maintain the flow of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas with precision. Phrases like 'in very close vicinity', 'temptations', and 'lease agreement' are used effectively. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'lists down' (a phrasal verb that is slightly informal or redundant) and 'complete new place' (should be 'completely'). However, these do not impede communication. You show an awareness of style appropriate for a semi-formal/informal email, and your word choices are generally natural and fit the context of giving advice to a friend.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there are some grammatical errors, such as 'I hope you and your family is' (should be 'are'), 'can be make' (should be 'can make'), and 'does not necessarily means' (should be 'mean'), these are non-systematic and do not cause confusion. The majority of your sentences are clear and error-free. You successfully use complex structures like conditional clauses and relative clauses. To reach a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that modal verbs are followed by the correct verb form.

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

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