Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-21

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)

Hi Tom,

I hope you are doing well. First of all, I would like to congratulate you on getting admission in one of the most prestigious universities. Finding an accomodation around Boston University is a challenging task and I am glad that you reached out to me as I can share some information which might give you a head start.

While I was there, I rented an apartment which was a five minute walk from the university. The landlord was very nice and polite and I shared the apartment with another student. It was a fully furnished two bedroom apartment with a kitchen and a common bathroom. If you are interested in a two bedroom apartment, I can check with the landlord as I am still in touch with him.

Otherwise, there are plenty of websites that can help you find apartments near the university. One credible website that I know of is https://rentanapartment.com, it is the same one that I used to book my apartment. Apart from the websites, there are also a lot of Facebook groups where students keep posting about flats. They generally post about their requirement for a roommate, when they have found an apartment but they are looking for a roommate to split the rent.

While finding the apartment, please make sure that you check the property either physically or virtually before depositing any money. I have heard about a lot of scams where people post a property with photos, but when you reach the property, either the property is not there or it is already rented to another person.

Best regards,

Adam Gilbert

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully and effectively addresses all bullet points of the task instructions. You begin by successfully describing your previous living situation as a student living in a fully furnished two-bedroom apartment within a five-minute walk from Boston University. You then recommend the best way to look for accommodation by suggesting specific websites like rentanapartment.com and relevant Facebook groups for finding roommates. Finally, you warn your friend about common mistakes, specifically cautioning against scams involving fake property photos and advising them to check properties physically or virtually before sending money. The tone is appropriate for an informal email to a friend, and all ideas are fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The email is logically organised and progresses smoothly from a personal greeting and congratulations into sharing past experiences, making recommendations, and finally offering warnings. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the task prompt. Cohesive devices are managed well throughout the response, utilizing transition words and phrases such as 'First of all', 'While I was there', 'Otherwise', and 'Apart from the websites'. Referencing is clear, and the overall progression feels natural and easy to follow, meeting the criteria for a high band.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary suited to the context of renting accommodation and student life. Words and phrases like 'prestigious universities', 'challenging task', 'fully furnished', 'credible website', and 'split the rent' are used accurately. There is only a minor lexical slip in the first paragraph ('getting admission in' instead of 'getting admission to' or 'accepted into'), but this does not impede communication. The use of less common items is natural and appropriate for an informal letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The response displays a wide variety of grammatical structures, including complex sentences such as 'If you are interested in a two bedroom apartment, I can check with the landlord as I am still in touch with him' and 'They generally post about their requirement for a roommate, when they have found an apartment but they are looking for a roommate to split the rent.' The majority of your sentences are error-free, with excellent control over punctuation and tense consistency. You show a high level of accuracy throughout, earning a strong band score for grammar.

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

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