Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12

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 this letter finds you well.

I am writing this to you because ,As you are aware about my business management course that i recently enrolled.

Due to medical emergency i have to cancel this course , I am working in the fast food franchise name called Honest last night when i done from my work on the way to coming home i slept on the floor and i lost my both hands and legs i went in the emergency sector the doctors have been told me that you have to take 6 months of complete bed rest and then i will be able to join the course.

I am aware that i might not have chance to get enrolled in that course but there is another course at this Algonquin college which is business development and sales i want to enroll for the next semester for the next term of Fall 2026

I am hoping that ,you consider my problem as fast as you can.

Yours sincerely,

Rob

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and inquiring about a different course. However, the explanation provided is somewhat confusing and lacks the professional tone expected in a formal letter. While the task requirements are met, the development of ideas is hindered by the lack of clarity in your narrative, particularly regarding the medical situation. To improve, ensure that your explanation is concise and maintains a formal register suitable for an administrative request.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition between the introduction and the body paragraph is abrupt, and the punctuation is often inconsistent, such as the misuse of commas and capitalization (e.g., 'because ,As you are aware'). The flow of ideas is occasionally interrupted by these errors, making the text feel disjointed. Using a wider range of linking words and improving sentence-level punctuation would significantly enhance the logical progression of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey the basic meaning. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect word choices, such as 'medical emergency' (which is fine, but the subsequent description is confusing) and 'emergency sector' instead of 'emergency room' or 'hospital'. Additionally, the phrasing 'when i done from my work' is grammatically and lexically incorrect. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more precise, formal vocabulary and ensuring that your collocations are natural and appropriate for a formal letter to an institution.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with verb tenses ('doctors have been told me'), subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure. Many sentences are run-on or fragmented, which impacts readability. For example, 'I am working in the fast food franchise name called Honest last night when i done from my work...' contains multiple errors in tense and structure. While you attempt some complex sentences, they are often inaccurate. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like capitalization and verb forms will help improve your accuracy.

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

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