Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-08

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 5.5)

Dear Sir ,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter regarding to book another course and cancel the previous one. Moreover, as you know I recently enrolled in leadership course as a part time candidate. Now, I wants to cancel this course because this course already part of my future study. Therefore, I need to cancel my booking but I would like to book other one.

In addition, in this neoteric word knowledge about Microsoft is crucial. So, I need to book this course because it has lots of part for the learning. For instance, Microsoft word, excel, powerpoint presentation and many more things available. Further more, this course gives me lots of opportunity for my bright future. Thus, I am waiting for your reply. I mention my student ID, it is AF00132.

Thank you for your support, time and help.

Best regard,

Riya Patel.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: identifying the course, explaining the cancellation, and requesting a new one. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While the ideas are relevant, the development is somewhat thin. For instance, the explanation for why you need to cancel—'this course already part of my future study'—is vague and could be expanded to sound more natural. Additionally, the tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, but the lack of sufficient length prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the purpose of the letter to the specific request and finally the student details. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover', 'Therefore', and 'In addition' to link ideas. However, the paragraphing is not fully developed; the letter feels like a single block of text rather than distinct sections. Furthermore, some transitions are slightly mechanical or misused, such as 'In addition, in this neoteric word knowledge', which makes the flow feel somewhat disjointed. Improving the use of paragraph breaks would significantly enhance the readability and structure of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message, but there are instances of unnatural word choice and minor errors. The word 'neoteric' is used incorrectly in this context; it is an academic term that does not fit the tone of a business letter. Phrases like 'many more things available' are quite informal and vague. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations, such as 'professional development' instead of 'bright future' or 'curriculum' instead of 'part for the learning'. Spelling is generally accurate, but the vocabulary range remains limited.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'I am writing this letter regarding to book' should be 'regarding booking' or 'to book'. You also have subject-verb agreement issues, such as 'Now, I wants to cancel' instead of 'I want to cancel'. The sentence structure is mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors—including 'this course already part' (missing 'is')—indicates a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of basic sentence construction.

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

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