Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-20

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 this letter regarding the canceling my booking in part time course.

Let me explain first, actually I am working in MICROSOFT company as assistant manager from last 5 years and almost 4 months ago my manager suggested me that you should enhance your skills so that you can become the senior manager in the company. Due to which I decided to enroll in IT course but when I discuss everything with my employer then I realize that I took the wrong decision. To addition, to fix my mistake I just want to the cancel my booking.

It would be good for me if you just transfer my IT course to Business management course by which I can save my money and time as well.

Hope to have a positive response from your side as soon as possible.

Yours faithfull

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and requesting a transfer. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation regarding the employer's feedback is slightly confusing and could have been more clearly articulated to show why the IT course was a 'wrong decision'. Because the task requirements were not fully met in terms of length, the development of the response is restricted.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the flow between sentences is somewhat mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited; for example, 'To addition' is an incorrect usage of a transition. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the lack of sufficient length makes the overall structure feel underdeveloped. More variety in linking words would improve the flow and clarity of the message.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. There are several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'canceling my booking in part time course' (should be 'cancellation of my part-time course') and 'I just want to the cancel'. The student relies on simple, everyday language. To reach a higher band, the student needs to use more precise terminology related to course administration and professional development, and ensure that collocations are accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with articles ('in MICROSOFT company'), prepositions ('in part time course'), and verb forms ('I am working... from last 5 years'). The sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, and the closing 'Yours faithfull' contains a spelling error. These errors occasionally cause the reader to pause, though the overall meaning remains understandable.

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

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