Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-15

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 6.5)

Dear sir

i am writing to request the cancellation of my booking for the part time English language at your school.

I recently enrolled in this course because i wanted to improve my English skills and prepare for my future studies. However due to change in my personal circumstance, I am no longer able to attend the course at the schedule time. Unfortunately, I have recently involved in in another important commitment, which requires me to attend classes during the same hours. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could cancel my current booking.

Although I cannot attend this course, I an still interested in studying at your college. Could you please let me know if there are any other part English course available in the morning or at weekend I would prefer a course that starts next mouth as this would be more convenient for me.

I would also appreciate it if you could inform me whether my booking fee can be refunded after cancellation.

Thank you for time and assistance. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Zainab Ahmad

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly identified the course, provided a logical reason for the cancellation (a conflict with a new commitment), and made a specific inquiry regarding alternative course options. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an administrator. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively. To reach a higher band, ensure that all details are fully developed; for instance, you could have briefly mentioned the specific name of the course or the original booking reference to add a touch of realism to the formal request.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use appropriate paragraphing to separate the purpose of the letter, the explanation, and the request for alternatives. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Therefore', and 'Although' are used effectively to link your sentences. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated. For example, the jump between the cancellation request and the inquiry about a refund is slightly abrupt. Improving the variety of linking phrases would help create a more seamless reading experience.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. Phrases like 'personal circumstance' and 'convenient' are used correctly. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'part English course' (should be 'English course') and 'at the schedule time' (should be 'at the scheduled time'). Additionally, there is a minor spelling error ('next mouth' instead of 'next month'). To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure you proofread for small slips that could affect the professional tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I have recently involved in' (should be 'I have recently become involved in') and 'I an still interested' (should be 'I am still interested'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some missing commas after introductory phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent proofreading for typos will help improve your accuracy.

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

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