Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · 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 8.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to request cancellation for my course booking at your prestigious institute.

I recently enrolled for a mathematics course, Introduction to Calculus, on a part-time basis. This course is scheduled to commence on September 7th, 2026, and is a three-month online program.

However, I have realized that this is not the correct program that I need to complete as a prerequisite for my degree in Computer Science. After considering the course requirements for the degree program, I found that a different mathematics qualification is necessary. Therefore, I would kindly request if you could please cancel my admission.

Instead, I would like to inquire if there are seats available for the September intake for Introduction to Applied Mathematics. It is extremely important for me to gain this certification to start my undergraduate program next summer.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have fully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified the course you booked (Introduction to Calculus), provided a logical reason for the cancellation (a change in degree prerequisites), and effectively inquired about an alternative course (Introduction to Applied Mathematics). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an administrator, and the purpose of the communication is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, meeting all the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the purpose of the letter to the explanation and finally the request for a new course. You have used cohesive devices such as 'However,' 'Therefore,' and 'Instead' effectively to link your sentences and paragraphs. The structure is coherent, and the flow of information is natural, making the letter easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal context. Phrases such as 'prestigious institute,' 'commence,' 'prerequisite,' and 'inquire' show a strong command of language. The word choices are precise and contribute to the professional tone of the letter. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary used is sufficient to convey your message clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

Your writing displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You have successfully used a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing this letter to request...' and 'After considering the course requirements..., I found that...'. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no noticeable errors that impede communication. The control over verb tenses and sentence construction is consistent, reflecting a strong grasp of English grammar.

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