Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-19

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 8.0)

Dear Sarah,

I’m really happy to hear that you have been offered a place on a course at my university. Congratulations! I’d be glad to give you some advice about finding accommodation.

When I was a student there, I lived in a shared apartment about ten minutes from the university. I had my own bedroom, while the kitchen and living room were shared with two other students. It was quite convenient because there were several grocery stores and bus stops nearby, and I could easily walk to campus.

I would recommend looking for accommodation through the university’s student housing website and local rental websites. You can also join student housing groups on social media, as students often post rooms when they are moving out. It is a good idea to compare a few places before making a decision.

However, be careful not to choose a place just because the rent is cheap. Some students forget to check whether utilities, internet and other bills are included. You should also check the distance from the university, the condition of the room and the neighbourhood. Most importantly, never send money before seeing the accommodation and confirming that the landlord is genuine.

I hope you find a comfortable place soon. Let me know if you need any more advice.

Best wishes,

Gurpreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The student has successfully covered all parts of the prompt in a natural and appropriate tone for a General Training Task 1 email. The response begins with a warm greeting and congratulates the friend, then clearly describes where the writer lived as a student, mentioning a shared apartment close to the campus and grocery stores. Furthermore, the writer recommends effective ways to look for accommodation, such as using university housing websites, rental sites, and social media groups. Finally, valuable warnings are provided, including advising the friend not to choose a place solely based on cheap rent, reminding them to check utility bills, distance, and room condition, and cautioning against sending money before seeing the property. The purpose of the letter is fully achieved with well-developed ideas and an appropriate personal register.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The email is logically sequenced and easy to follow, with a clear progression of ideas from the initial congratulations to the description of past living arrangements, recommendations, and finally warnings. Paragraphing is used very effectively, as each paragraph focuses on a distinct sub-topic requested in the prompt. Cohesive devices such as 'When I was a student', 'I would recommend', 'However', and 'Most importantly' are handled naturally and appropriately to guide the reader through the text without any mechanical or repetitive transitions.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and natural range of vocabulary suitable for a friendly letter about accommodation. Phrases such as 'shared apartment', 'grocery stores', 'rental websites', and 'landlord is genuine' are used accurately and appropriately. There is also an attempt at less common lexical items and collocation combinations like 'compare a few places before making a decision' and 'confirming that the landlord is genuine'. Word choice is generally precise, and there are no spelling or lexical errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response exhibits a good variety of sentence structures, mixing simple and complex forms seamlessly. Examples of complex structures include 'I’m really happy to hear that you have been offered a place...' and 'Some students forget to check whether utilities, internet and other bills are included.' The majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating a high degree of control over grammar and punctuation. Minor slips are absent, and tense usage—shifting appropriately between present for the current situation, past for personal history, and modal verbs for recommendations—is handled with precision.

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

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