Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-27

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 or Madam,

I am writing this letter to request you to cancel the part-time course which I booked last week at your esteemed college.

I have opted Data Science as a part time course from your downtown campus. I have also paid the fee of $3200 and I want to cancel the booking as I have decided to change my course if its possible.

Initially, while booking the course I thought it would be a great a addition to my knowledge. Although, after seeing the course module today I thought I have to change my course as i have covered almost 80% of module in my previous course.

However, I want you to accept my request to join in a different course. I have gone through the course module of Health Informatics I was amazed by the structure. I would like to opt in to that course. Can you please approve my request to change the course from Data Science to Health Informatics.

I am looking forward for a favourable response from you.

Kind Regards

Kiran Sekar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and requesting a transfer. The tone is appropriate for a formal request. However, the development of ideas is slightly repetitive; for example, the explanation for the cancellation could be more concise. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, and the request for the new course is explicitly stated. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation for the change is more logically structured and avoids minor redundancies, such as repeating the desire to change the course in multiple paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Although', and 'However' are used to link sentences, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. The use of paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the request without confusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task, allowing for clear communication. There are some instances of slightly unnatural collocation, such as 'opted Data Science' (should be 'opted for') and 'great a addition'. While the range is adequate, it lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. The student uses functional language effectively, but the choice of words remains somewhat basic. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring that prepositions are used correctly with verbs like 'opt'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'if its possible' (missing apostrophe), 'I thought I have to change' (tense inconsistency), and 'I am looking forward for' (incorrect preposition; should be 'to'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The punctuation is generally functional, but the inconsistent use of capitalization (e.g., 'i') and minor tense slips indicate that greater attention to detail is needed to achieve a higher level of accuracy.

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

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