Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-28

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 8.0)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to request cancellation of a part-time course I had booked last week, on August 9, 2026.

On 9th August 2026, I visited the college campus and registered under the course of "Artificial Intelligence and it's modern day applications". I was particularly interested in this part-time course because of it's flexible duration and relevance to my career path as a Software Developer.

However, after meticulously going through the course brochure, I found that most the topics are redundant and would not aid me in extending my knowledge about Artificial Intelligence. I rather want to switch the curriculum and choose the coursework of "Machine Learning and Model Training".

This is an important career changing decision for me. So, I would request the college administration to cancel my current booking and switch it over to the new course mentioned above. I would really appreciate your understanding and prompt response on this matter.

Yours Faithfully,

Jane.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and requesting a transfer to a different course. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an administrator. The ideas are clearly presented and the purpose of the letter is immediately evident. The response is well-focused and maintains a consistent, professional tone throughout, fulfilling the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which aids readability. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Therefore', and 'This is an important...' are used to connect ideas effectively. The progression of information is smooth, moving from the initial booking details to the rationale for cancellation and finally the request for a change. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is generally accurate and appropriate for the context. Phrases like 'meticulously going through', 'redundant', and 'career changing decision' demonstrate a good range. However, there are minor errors in punctuation and word choice, such as the misuse of the possessive 'it's' (should be 'its') and the slightly awkward phrasing 'most the topics' (should be 'most of the topics'). Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. While the grammar is generally sound, there are a few minor errors, such as the aforementioned possessive apostrophe mistakes ('it's' instead of 'its') and the missing preposition in 'most the topics'. These errors are non-systematic and do not impede communication. The use of formal structures like 'I am writing this letter to...' and 'I would really appreciate...' is accurate and fits the formal register required for this task.

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