Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-05
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 5.5)
Dear Maria,
Hope you are in the best of health. I'm glad to hear about your admission in my previous university. I'ld like to give you some advice on finding a good place to live.
Let me tell you one thing Maria, that finding a place to live with good amenities and preferable location is quite difficult in this city. I too stayed at my aunt's place during my study period. However, I suggest you to contact some real estate agent and they might help you get one easily, instead of finding one for yourself. In the past, I have seen many students trying to look for a best place to live, but they ended up finding something that did not satisfy them.
If you'ld like I can help you find a trustful agent, or I can share some information about others that have helped many students. I hope to hear from you soon and wish you all the best.
Best Wishes,
Ramla
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
The response addresses the three main bullet points of the prompt, but some parts are only partially developed. For instance, the first bullet point is covered by mentioning staying at an aunt's place, but details regarding the university experience itself are limited. Similarly, the warning about mistakes students make is somewhat vague, noting simply that they ended up finding something that did not satisfy them rather than providing concrete pitfalls such as hidden utility costs or unverified landlords. Because the ideas are presented in a somewhat limited and under-developed fashion without deeper extension, the response sits at a partial level where the task is addressed only partially in terms of depth.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The email maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows a clear, friendly letter format with a standard greeting and sign-off. However, progression within the body paragraphs is occasionally mechanical. While cohesive devices such as 'However' and 'instead of' are used, referencing is sometimes repetitive or slightly faulty, such as how ideas flow between the discussion of agents and past student experiences. Paragraphing is present and appropriate for an informal email, but the overall organization lacks a smooth, progressive flow throughout, reflecting a standard intermediate structure where cohesion can feel mechanical rather than entirely seamless.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating everyday concepts like 'amenities', 'real estate agent', and 'accommodation'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary such as 'preferable location' and 'trustful agent', though there are minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'admission in' instead of 'admission to' or 'trustful' instead of 'trustworthy'. These vocabulary choices and minor slips do not impede communication, allowing the reader to easily follow the message, which accurately places the lexical range at an adequate intermediate level.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The writing demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures like conditional clauses ('If you'ld like I can help...') and relative clauses with good control. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as contracted forms with non-standard spelling ('I'ld') and minor prepositional tracking, but these errors are occasional rather than frequent and they rarely impede communication. The majority of the sentences remain clear and comprehensible, showing a comfortable balance of basic and more ambitious structural attempts that fit well within the expected control range.
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