Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-15

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 6.5)

Dear Sara,

I hope you are doing well.

Really glad to hear about the news of you being offered on a course at The University. Your efforts really had paid off as it was your dream to study at The University.

Also, really appreciate you asked for my advice about finding a place to live. I hope I will be able to help you in finding the best accommodation.

I would recommend to find an accommodation near to the place where I live. This area is very close to the subway station, and hence, the commute to The University on regular basis. Furthermore, all the shops are near-by where day-to-day things are available throughout the year. The thing I like the most in my area is the park where I spend most of my evenings with my books.

You can first look out on the realestate webiste for available accommodations. There you will find many options. However, please do not make the same mistake which other students do and you must visit the places yourself or if you cannot go physically, please ask the realtor for a video call to take sound decision. Finding the right place is very important as it will be the core basis for your mental peace.

Hope to see you soon and cannot wait to go The University together.

Thanks and regards,

Hayyan Tahir

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The email addresses all three required points: you describe your student area, recommend searching real-estate websites, and warn Sara to inspect a property or request a video call. The details about the subway, shops and park make the description personal and relevant, while the warning is practical. This meets the task well, and the friendly opening and closing suit the relationship. However, the description focuses on the area where you lived rather than clearly stating what type of accommodation you had, and the search advice could be more fully developed—for example, by suggesting university housing services or comparing rent and travel costs. These gaps keep some parts less complete than others, despite the clear overall response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The message has a clear overall arrangement: it opens with congratulations, moves to your accommodation advice, and ends with a friendly sign-off. Paragraphing helps the reader follow the main stages, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “However” show how ideas relate. The progression is generally logical, but some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “This area is very close to the subway station, and hence, the commute to The University on regular basis” does not complete the relationship between location and commuting. The final paragraph also combines website advice, a warning, and a general comment about mental peace. Clearer transitions and more deliberate grouping of the recommendation and warning would make the flow smoother and more flexible.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for a friendly advice email, including relevant terms such as “accommodation,” “commute,” “realtor,” and “mental peace.” The vocabulary communicates your main points, and the references to shops and a park add useful detail. There are, however, several inaccurate or unnatural choices that limit precision: “offered on a course” and “look out on the realestate webiste” are not natural expressions, while “core basis” is redundant. Spelling and formatting also need attention in “webiste” and “near-by.” Aim for more natural collocations and precise phrasing, particularly when giving practical advice. This would make the message sound more fluent and assured without changing its friendly tone.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes both simple sentences and attempts at more complex structures, such as “However, please do not make the same mistake … and you must visit the places yourself or … ask the realtor for a video call.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “appreciate you asked” needs a different verb pattern, and “I would recommend to find” should use a gerund or a clause. The sentence about the subway and commuting is incomplete, and “cannot wait to go The University together” is missing a preposition. Articles and prepositions also need more consistent control. Review verb patterns after expressions such as “recommend” and “appreciate,” and check that each sentence has a complete main clause.

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