Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to inform you about cancelling my booking for french language course.

First of all, I will explain you why I changed my mind. Actually, I decided to learn a french language not only for my permanent residence in Canada but also for finding a bilingual job in Regulatory affairs. However, this language will be extremely helpful for my better carrier but one of my friend said that learning a french is not a peace of cake. Moreover, it requires lots of time, perseverance and motivation. So, I decided to learn the spanish language course and i want to book spanish course.

Furthermore, could you send me the detail about this course and booking process? It would be really helpful for me if you help me to book this course.

Sincerely,

Riddhi.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter covers all three required bullet points: identifying the course, explaining the reason for cancellation, and requesting information about a new course. However, the response is 144 words, which falls short of the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length impacts the overall task achievement score. Furthermore, the explanation for the cancellation—citing a friend's opinion that French is 'not a piece of cake'—is somewhat informal and lacks the professional tone expected in a formal letter to a college administrator. To improve, ensure you meet the word count and maintain a consistently professional tone throughout the correspondence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' to link your points. However, the transition between the reason for cancellation and the request for a new course is slightly abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, though the flow could be improved by using more varied linking words to connect your sentences more fluidly. The structure is sufficient for the task, but it lacks the sophisticated cohesion required for higher band scores.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'permanent residence', 'perseverance', and 'bilingual'. However, there are several inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'better carrier' (should be 'career') and 'learning a french' (should be 'learning French'). The phrase 'not a piece of cake' is an idiom that is generally too informal for this type of professional communication. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise vocabulary and ensuring that your word choices are appropriate for a formal context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, including missing articles ('a french language' should be 'the French language'), incorrect verb forms ('I will explain you' should be 'I will explain to you'), and punctuation issues (e.g., 'i' should be capitalized). These errors occur frequently enough to be noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.

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

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