Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-11
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
You recently booked a part-time course at a college. You now need to cancel your booking.
Write a letter to the college administrator. In your letter:
- say which part-time course you booked
- explain why you need to cancel your booking
- ask about booking a different course
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Student answer (Band 6.5)
Dear Sir,
I am writing to inform you that recently I booked an academic part time course at your college. The computer course which I booked is also good for me but it is not as much beneficial as other courses which I noticed later.
Furthermore, I want to cancel my booking in this part-time diploma because it is not contributing to my field as much and I think I will not be able to develop my interest in this curriculum. Therefore, I want to change my course for evening classes.
Lastly, I also want to know about the booking of another course because this time I want to enroll myself in a different course according to my interest. Let me confirm about the criteria about Orthopedic Physical Therapy evening course because this one is a very informative and useful for my academics and clinical skills.
I hope you will consider my humble request and I am waiting for your prompt response.
Yours sincerely,
Nosheen
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
You address all three requirements: you identify the computer course, explain that it does not support your field or interests, and ask about the Orthopedic Physical Therapy evening course. Your purpose—cancelling the current booking and exploring another option—is clear throughout, and the reason for changing courses is relevant. The request for information about the new course adds useful detail. To make the response more fully developed, state the cancellation request directly and clarify whether you want to transfer your booking or make a new one. The opening says “academic part time course,” while later you call it a “part-time diploma”; naming the course consistently would also make the details clearer.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
The letter has a clear progression: it introduces the booking, explains the reason for cancelling, then asks about an alternative and closes politely. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Therefore,” and “Lastly” help show how the points relate. The organisation is easy to follow, although the transitions sometimes feel formulaic, and “Lastly” introduces a request that could be connected more smoothly to the cancellation. For stronger cohesion, group the cancellation and transfer request together, then ask for specific information about the alternative course. Clearer links between these actions would make the letter feel more natural and less dependent on signposting phrases.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal college letter, including “cancel my booking,” “curriculum,” “criteria,” and “clinical skills.” These choices communicate your main points, and the tone is generally polite. However, some word choices and collocations are imprecise: “not as much beneficial” is awkward, “change my course for evening classes” is unclear, and “a very informative and useful” is not a natural description of a course. “Humble request” also sounds overly deferential in this context. Aim for more natural combinations and precise terms for the action you want, such as transferring or changing your enrolment. This would improve fluency and control without requiring more complex vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “The computer course which I booked…” and a reason clause with “because.” Most sentences remain understandable, and errors rarely obstruct your message. Some grammatical inaccuracies remain: “not as much beneficial” should use the comparative form “not as beneficial,” and “a very informative and useful” needs a noun after the adjectives or removal of the article. The phrase “Let me confirm about the criteria” also has an awkward grammatical pattern; a direct question such as “Could you tell me the entry criteria?” would be clearer. Continue checking articles, comparative structures, and question forms to make your sentences more consistently accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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