Letter

Band 8+: 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

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Dear Hussain,

Its been a while since we last talked to each other. I hope everything is going well with you. I received your email in which you explained that you need my help in finding a suitable place to live at my previous university.

I’m so glad that you got enrolled in this course. Most of the hostels rooms are pre-booked, so you won’t be able to live there. I used to live in an apartment which is close to the university. I was living in a shared apartment with another friend of mine as the. The room in my flat was quite spacious and we had separate bathrooms.

You can contact Usman, he is a real estate agent. He will help you look for a suitable accommodation according to your needs. Don’t mention him that you are new to this city. There are chances that he may charge you more.

While I was looking for a place to live, I had to deal with a lot of obstacles. I was overcharged by agents and had no clue that you’re not supposed to pay the downpayment in advance. As a result, it took me a lot of time to find a decent place.

I’m planning to visit the university next week. We can meet at the cafeteria and have a cup of coffee together. I’ll wait for your response. Can’t wait to meet you again.

Best wishes,

Sara

Word Count: 239

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Overall Band Score

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
A2 - Upper Beginner
Consider using more varied and advanced words.

Grammar Mistakes: N/A

Vocabulary Repetition:
No noticeable repetition! Great job!

Task Response

The letter effectively addresses all three bullet points: it describes the writer's previous accommodation, recommends a specific method (contacting a real estate agent), and warns about common mistakes (overcharging and paying deposits in advance). The tone is appropriate and the content is relevant. Minor lapses include a few grammatical errors (e.g., 'Its been' should be 'It's been', 'as the' is incomplete) and a slight lack of detail in the recommendation section. To improve, ensure grammatical accuracy and expand on the advice for finding accommodation, perhaps mentioning online platforms or university housing services.

Coherence & Cohesion

The letter is well-organized and easy to follow. The paragraphs are logically structured, each addressing a specific point from the task. However, there are minor lapses in cohesion, such as the abrupt transition from describing your accommodation to recommending a real estate agent. Consider using linking phrases like 'Regarding accommodation options' or 'As for finding a place' to improve flow. Additionally, the final paragraph about meeting up is a nice touch but could be more smoothly integrated with the rest of the letter.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary is appropriate and generally accurate, with some good use of phrases like 'pre-booked', 'real estate agent', and 'downpayment'. However, there are a few awkward or informal expressions, such as 'Don't mention him that you are new' (should be 'Don't tell him' or 'Don't mention to him that...') and 'I had no clue that you're not supposed to pay the downpayment in advance' (could be more natural as 'I had no idea that you shouldn't pay the deposit in advance'). Overall, the range is good, but more precise and natural word choices would elevate the response. Boost vocabulary complexity to elevate the overall score.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The letter demonstrates a good range of grammatical structures, including past tenses, conditionals, and complex sentences. There are only minor errors, such as 'Its been' (should be 'It's been') and 'as the' (incomplete phrase). The punctuation is mostly correct, but a few commas are missing or misused. Overall, the grammar is accurate enough to be easily understood, but a few small corrections would make it flawless.

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