Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31

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 booked a part time course for this college last week. I choose Bsc. Biotechnology is select. But i don't interest to this course study . this course is very tough i don't understand for this case how to mange. So the course be cancel to help me.

I prefer bba is better choice to me. I select and more interest that course. That is the reason for cancel the bsc course. I need best carrier to this channel. More over my two friend s are select the course this college last week. My cousin study in bba after that he chose mba now he is working in abrode. So i need to one seat

So please help and ask to the booking bba course in this institution. Cancel that course and arrange to a seat for bba. Many person tell as this course and best college you select. So what is the processing for change the course please help us.

Yours faithfully

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the cancellation, and requesting a change. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited by the language used. The explanation for the cancellation is vague ('this course is very tough'), and the request for a different course is repetitive. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the tone is inconsistent and lacks the formal register expected in a letter to a college administrator. The response covers the requirements, but the lack of clarity in some areas prevents it from reaching a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the logical progression of ideas is often disjointed. For example, the transition between the cancellation request and the mention of friends and cousins is abrupt and confusing. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often misused or mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'So' to start sentences. Referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult to follow the writer's train of thought throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and often inaccurate, which occasionally impedes communication. There are frequent errors in word choice, such as 'don't interest to this course' instead of 'I am not interested in this course' and 'best carrier' instead of 'best career'. The student relies on basic vocabulary and struggles to express ideas precisely. Some phrases, like 'this channel' or 'many person tell as', are non-standard and confusing. A wider range of vocabulary and better attention to collocations are needed to improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the message. There are consistent issues with verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure (e.g., 'I choose Bsc. Biotechnology is select'). Many sentences are fragmented or poorly constructed, such as 'So the course be cancel to help me.' While the meaning can generally be inferred, the high frequency of errors in basic structures prevents the use of more complex sentence forms. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization and sentence boundaries.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.