Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-04

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 5.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am Hinal Patel. I am writing you this letter to inform you about cancel my booking from your college.

I am informing you that the 6 month course about the computer science , that I am sellected in this course in your college for 2 weeks ago. I applied for part time course but your college required full time course. so I am not able to attain full time in college because I do a part time job.

unfortunatelly , I was sellected in c.g. college , Ahemdabad for this course in 4hours per day so I would manage my academic as well as job resposibility.

I would be apologise for this and look forwerd to hearing from you soon.

Your Sincerely ,

Hinal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and mentioning a desire for a different course. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation regarding the conflict between the part-time application and the college's full-time requirement is somewhat confusingly expressed. To improve, you should expand on your reasons and ensure the tone is consistently professional throughout the letter. Because the response is under-length, it cannot achieve a score higher than 5.0 for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is organised into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the logical flow is hindered by the lack of cohesive devices and some awkward phrasing. For example, the transition between the explanation of the course and the reason for cancellation is abrupt. The use of linking words is minimal, making the text feel like a series of disjointed sentences rather than a cohesive piece of writing. To improve, use transition signals such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'however' to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, relying on simple structures to convey meaning. There are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'sellected' (selected), 'attain' (attend), 'unfortunatelly' (unfortunately), and 'forwerd' (forward). These errors, while not always impeding communication, demonstrate a limited range of vocabulary. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise terminology related to academic administration and ensure your spelling is accurate. Avoid repeating the same phrases and try to incorporate more varied vocabulary to express your situation clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The letter contains frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the message. Examples include 'I am writing you this letter to inform you about cancel my booking' (should be 'to inform you of the cancellation of my booking') and 'I would be apologise' (should be 'I would like to apologise'). There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the control over basic grammar is inconsistent. Punctuation is also problematic, with unnecessary spaces before commas and periods. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of modal verbs would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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