Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-31

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 jashan

Firstly, i am extremely glad that you get enrollment in panjab university by your hardwork.Therefore,i will guide you for a perfect accomodation in which you can able to feel convenience while travelling here to there.Especially,when i was student in the university at that i rented a single bedroom flat in sector 15 chandigarh but with the large hall for arranging my things like television or play station.In order to get best location for renting is sector 14 because there is a bunch of mode of transport which can help to reach on time in your class as well there is a natural garden and public library with a variety of books.Therefore, by facebook marketplace you can easily get a flat on a rent but be aware from a scammers because they can do a cheat in the rent when you would finalize all policies with them.

Best wishes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you describe renting a one-bedroom flat in Sector 15, recommend looking in Sector 14 and using Facebook Marketplace, and warn about scammers. These details make the advice relevant and personal. However, some parts are less fully developed than others. The description of your former accommodation is brief, and the warning focuses on scams without explaining other common mistakes, such as choosing a place before checking its condition, costs, or distance from campus. The recommendation would also be clearer if you explained how to verify listings and compare options. A more complete sign-off and a direct, friendly opening would make the email feel more fully tailored to your friend.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas follow a broadly sensible order: you begin with congratulations, describe your own accommodation, give a location and search method, and finish with a warning. However, the response is presented as one dense paragraph, so the different parts of the advice are not easy to distinguish. Linking words such as “Therefore” and “Especially” are used mechanically or do not clearly show the relationship between ideas. For example, the move from your flat in Sector 15 to recommending Sector 14 needs a clearer transition. Use separate paragraphs for your experience, recommendation, and warning, and connect each point with more precise references and transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for accommodation and student life, including “single bedroom flat,” “mode of transport,” “public library,” and “scammers.” This gives you enough range to communicate the main advice. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “get enrollment,” “feel convenience,” “a bunch of mode of transport,” and “do a cheat in the rent.” Spelling errors such as “accomodation” also reduce accuracy. Aim for natural phrases used in everyday advice, and check spelling and word forms. More precise vocabulary for comparing housing, such as rent, deposit, facilities, and commute, would help you explain your recommendations more clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas in longer sentences, using structures such as “because” and “when,” but control is uneven. Errors in verb forms, articles, and sentence construction appear in phrases such as “you get enrollment,” “when i was student,” and “you can able to feel.” The long sentence beginning “In order to get best location” also contains several ideas joined without clear punctuation, making the relationships harder to follow. Capitalisation and punctuation need attention, including the lowercase “i” and the missing comma after introductory phrases. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then build longer sentences with one clear main clause and correctly formed supporting clauses.

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

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