Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir, I hope you are doing well

I am writing this letter to inform you that I recently booked a part-time course at my college. However, I want to cancel my booking because of personal reason.

I will give you more details on my course so you can easily understand me the course I have booked is computer system and it is 3 months of course which I am not going to take now. The reason I want to cancel my course is my job time and the course I am going to take is in very same time so I am not able to manage both the things at same time and also I prefer to stay at work rather than course.

Lastly, I have one question that I want study a course which suits me apart from my work time so I can also study part-time so I just want to know is there any different course you have at this time so I can take that for now.

Thank you, I will wait hearing from soon.

Warm Regards,

Dev Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and inquiring about alternative options. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, although the development of ideas is somewhat simplistic. For instance, the explanation regarding the scheduling conflict is repetitive ('my job time and the course I am going to take is in very same time'). To reach a higher band, the ideas could be expressed with more precision and professional phrasing. However, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader is left in no doubt about the writer's intentions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Phrases like 'Lastly' and 'I am writing this letter to' are standard but basic. There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect sentences more fluidly. Additionally, some sentences are run-on or lack clear punctuation, such as the opening sentence which misses a full stop. Improving the variety of transition signals would enhance the overall flow and coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks range and precision. The writer relies on simple, repetitive language, such as 'take' and 'course', which are used multiple times in close proximity. There are also minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'personal reason' (should be plural 'reasons') and 'in very same time' (should be 'at the same time'). While the meaning is always clear, the lexical choices do not demonstrate the flexibility or the use of less common items required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'I want study a course' (missing 'to'), 'understand me the course' (awkward phrasing), and 'wait hearing from soon' (should be 'wait to hear from you soon'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, the writer should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with accurate grammatical markers.

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

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