Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-06
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 4.0)
Dear Peter,
congratulations!!! i am very happy to know that your joining Toronto University for your masters. There are some important things i want to let u know when looking for accommodations.
While i was a student, i lived nearby the college at St. Marys street. its a happening happening place and thats the atmosphere i always wanted to live in. But if
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 2.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 4.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 4.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 2.5
The opening establishes a friendly purpose, and you begin to address the first bullet by saying you lived near the university on St. Marys Street. However, the response stops mid-sentence at “But if,” so it does not complete the description or provide the requested advice on how to find accommodation or warnings about common mistakes. The email therefore addresses the task only minimally, with very limited relevant information and no developed recommendations. It is also 87 words below the required minimum of 150 words, leaving too little space to cover all three points. Complete each bullet with specific, useful details—for example, where to search, what to check before signing, and which costs to avoid overlooking.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0
The greeting and the move from your own student experience to advice give the beginning a basic, recognisable email structure. The phrase “While i was a student” signals a clear shift to the first task point. However, the response ends abruptly with “But if,” so there is no completed progression from your description to recommendations and warnings. The ideas are not separated into developed paragraphs, and the link between the lively location and its suitability for your friend is left unexplained. To improve organisation, use one short paragraph for your former accommodation, another for search methods, and a final one for pitfalls, with clear transitions such as “For your search” and “One thing to avoid.”
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use a few relevant expressions, including “looking for accommodations,” “nearby the college,” and “happening place,” which make the general topic understandable. The vocabulary range is limited, however, and some choices are informal or imprecise for giving practical accommodation advice. “Happening happening” repeats the same description, while “accommodations” is less natural here than “accommodation” when referring generally to housing. The unfinished response also gives little opportunity to show a broader range. Aim for precise terms such as “student residence,” “rental listing,” “lease,” and “utility bills,” and choose descriptions that explain why a location is suitable, such as “lively” or “conveniently located.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response attempts a longer sentence with “While i was a student, i lived nearby the college,” and the basic meaning is generally recoverable. However, the range is narrow, with mostly simple statements and no completed complex sentence. There are several visible issues: “your joining” needs the correct verb form, “i” should be capitalised, and “its” needs an apostrophe when it means “it is.” The final “But if” is an incomplete clause, and the repeated exclamation marks are not appropriate punctuation for a polished email. Practise complete sentences with accurate verb forms and punctuation, for example: “When I studied there, I lived on St Mary’s Street, which was lively and close to campus.”
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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