Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-22

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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to request the cancellation of my booking for a six- months cooking course at NorQuest College. I booked this course about a month ago through your online portal by submitting the application form and a booking fee.

Unfortunately, after a few weeks of placing my booking, I checked that this course is beginner-friendly and will teach me the basics of cooking, including an introduction to spices, a few pieces of equipment usage and its cleaning. I have already learned these skills in my other course last year, so I would request you to cancel my reservation.

I checked the describtion of an advanced culinary course on your webiste and I keen to learn such skills to enhance my cooking to become a professional chef. I would appreciate it if you could reserve a booking for that and make adjustments on the booking fee as it is same as the previous booking.

Looking forward to a prompt and positive response.

Yours faithfully,

Navjot

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and requesting a transfer to an advanced course. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an administrator. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, and the ideas are developed sufficiently to meet the task requirements. The student maintains a consistent focus on the objective throughout the response, ensuring the reader understands the request and the underlying motivation for the change.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect of the request, which aids readability. Cohesive devices such as 'Unfortunately', 'as', and 'so' are used to link ideas effectively. However, the transition between the explanation of the current course and the request for the new one could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall progression of ideas is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the context, with terms like 'online portal', 'application form', and 'culinary course'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'checked that this course is' (should be 'realised' or 'discovered') and 'describtion' (spelling error). The phrase 'make adjustments on the booking fee' is slightly unnatural but understandable. While the range is sufficient to convey the message clearly, it lacks the more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations that would push the score into the 8.0+ range. Overall, the vocabulary is functional and precise enough for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a good control of sentence structures, using a mix of simple and complex sentences. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'six- months' (should be 'six-month'), 'its cleaning' (should be 'their cleaning' to refer to equipment), and 'it is same as' (should be 'it is the same as'). Despite these occasional errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the majority of the sentences are error-free. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the formal tone is maintained throughout the letter, which is a positive aspect of the writing.

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

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