Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-16
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 5.0)
Dear jhon,
hello my friend how are you now?I hope you honna be okey right now,I heared about your planning to studied in the University that ive been studying last year.I was very nice school you got a right school to choose.
I have some advice to you choose an accomodation.I rent a unit of apartment in the side of university that ive been studying,it is very quiet place and the landlord is very nice person,I think that is the right place you to live when you are studying.Just look for Hedalgos apartment that is the right place you to live.
By the way,I have some information about the other student that studying in that univesity they have so many student that go happy go lucky,I advice you to choose your freind,and think about that you are going to study not to go to happier plsce or taking some iligal drugs,You take care everyday.
I hope the apartment that i tough you jas been better to you.
Your Freind,
edgardo
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 4.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 4.5 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You address the three main points: you say you rented an apartment near the university, name “Hedalgos apartment,” and offer a warning about students who may distract your friend from studying. However, the advice on how to search for accommodation is not really explained; naming one apartment does not tell your friend how to find or assess a place. The warning also shifts towards choosing friends and avoiding drugs rather than identifying practical accommodation mistakes, such as paying before viewing a room or failing to check the contract. Your description of your former home is relevant but brief. Develop each point with specific, useful details and keep the warning focused on housing choices.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0
The email has a recognisable opening, several body paragraphs and a closing, and the ideas are grouped broadly by topic. However, progression is limited: the second paragraph moves from describing your apartment to recommending it without explaining how your friend should search, while the third shifts from accommodation to student behaviour. Linking phrases such as “By the way” and “I hope” are used, but they do not always make the relationship between ideas clear. Some sentences run together, for example the opening greeting and the following question, which makes the message harder to follow. Use clearer paragraph purposes and connect each recommendation to a practical reason or example.
Lexical Resource: Band 4.5
You use some vocabulary relevant to the situation, including “apartment,” “landlord,” “quiet,” and “accommodation,” so the reader can identify the general subject. However, the range is limited and several spelling or word-choice errors make parts of the email difficult to understand, such as “honna,” “heared,” “univesity,” and “happier plsce.” Some phrases are also unnatural, including “in the side of university” and “go happy go lucky.” Choose familiar words accurately before attempting more elaborate expressions, and check spelling carefully. More precise housing vocabulary—such as “student residence,” “rental listing,” or “viewing”—would help you give clearer and more useful advice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5
Most sentences rely on simple patterns, and attempts to combine ideas often contain errors that make the message difficult to read. For example, “I heared about your planning to studied” has problems with tense and verb form, while “I think that is the right place you to live” is missing a grammatical link. There are also frequent issues with sentence boundaries and punctuation: “hello my friend how are you now?I hope…” runs together, and commas often join complete ideas. Use straightforward sentence structures accurately, practise verb patterns such as “plan to study,” and separate complete sentences with full stops. These changes would make your meaning much easier to follow.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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