Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-30

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)

Hello Sir,

I am writing regarding recently booked a part-time course at a college, but now need to be cancelled booking.

When, I booked my course learning a German language. as per think my future destination also is German country. So, I preferred to learn a different language, I would like to language because of good strategies country.

I am cancelled this course, because of the, I haven't proper timing to reached at my home and not sending my timing with families. so that's a reason I cancelled the booking. It is very bad decision I know very well, unfortunately its a not good approach but I am too busy just like prefer to accommodation.

I have a lot of things a new courses leaning with willing with my heart, but didn't get time to chance get the different courses.

I hope you are understand my situation.

Yours faithfully,

Ashish Prajapati

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and asking about a different course. However, the development of these ideas is hindered by significant clarity issues. For example, your explanation for cancelling—mentioning timing issues and family commitments—is difficult to follow due to fragmented sentence structures. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the lack of precision in your explanations means the reader struggles to fully understand your situation. To improve, ensure that each point is explained in clear, complete sentences that logically connect to the context of the request.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into paragraphs, which is a positive step for organization. However, the progression of ideas is often disjointed. You use some cohesive devices like 'because of' and 'so', but they are often used incorrectly or in a way that creates confusion, such as in the third paragraph where the transition between the cancellation reason and the apology is abrupt. The referencing is also unclear; for instance, 'that's a reason' does not clearly link back to the preceding information. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is quite limited and often inaccurate, which frequently impedes communication. Phrases like 'not sending my timing with families' and 'prefer to accommodation' are non-standard and difficult to interpret. You rely on basic vocabulary and struggle to use words in their correct context. To reach a higher band, you should focus on learning common collocations and phrases used in formal correspondence. For example, instead of 'I am cancelled this course', you should use 'I would like to cancel my enrollment'. Expanding your range to include more precise, topic-specific vocabulary will help you convey your message more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter that make it difficult to read. You struggle with basic sentence construction, verb tenses, and word order. Examples include 'I am writing regarding recently booked' (missing subject/article) and 'its a not good approach' (incorrect article usage and punctuation). There is a lack of complex structures, and even simple sentences contain errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence patterns—Subject + Verb + Object—and proofreading for common errors like missing articles ('a', 'the') and incorrect verb forms before submitting your work.

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

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