Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-18

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,

I am writing a letter to here you regarding a course which I was booked in college.The course name was social media marketing it was wonderful course for me.In addition, when I select this course I learn so many things regarding this course but now due to some issues I changed my course.Because now days AI is more important and useful in every life.

Therefore,I decided to change my course I read so many news and reels on google related to AI then after take one day I change my course.Moreover with the help of this Artificial intelligence course i can run my own business and earn too much money. It’s really interesting subject. In this course I have keen interest now day by day I learn different types of method how to develop our website and how to set own business.

Thank You,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the cancellation, and asking about a new one. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation for the cancellation is somewhat repetitive, and the request for a new course is implied rather than explicitly stated as a formal inquiry. To improve, ensure you meet the word count requirement and provide a more professional, structured request for information regarding the new course, rather than just discussing your personal interest in AI.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into two paragraphs, but the logical flow is hindered by awkward transitions and sentence structure. While some cohesive devices like 'In addition' and 'Moreover' are used, they are often placed incorrectly or used to connect ideas that do not flow naturally. The paragraphing is insufficient for a formal letter, and the lack of a clear closing statement makes the progression feel disjointed. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the readability of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive, relying on simple phrases like 'run my own business' and 'earn too much money'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'I was booked in college' (should be 'I booked a course') and 'take one day I change my course'. The range of vocabulary is limited, which restricts your ability to convey professional intent. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise, formal vocabulary suitable for a letter to an administrator, such as 'enrolment', 'transfer', or 'inquiry'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies ('I was booked', 'I learn so many things') and punctuation issues. Sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. Errors such as 'now days AI is more important' (should be 'nowadays') and 'it was wonderful course' (missing article) occur frequently. These errors occasionally impede the clarity of your message. You should practice using a wider variety of sentence structures, such as relative clauses and conditional sentences, while focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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