Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07

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 7.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to request the cancellation of my booking for the part-time business English course, which is due to begin next month. I enrolled in this course two weeks ago and was looking forward to improving my communication skills for my future career.

Unfortunately, I have recently been offered an important assignment that requires me to travel frequently over the next few months. As a result, I will not be able to attend the classes regularly or make the most of the course. I would therefore be grateful if you could cancel my current booking and let me know whether I am eligible for a refund or credit towards a future course.

I am still keen to study at your college once my schedule becomes less demanding. Could you please give me some advice about any part-time evening courses which is likely to be available in the coming months? I would particularly appreciate information about course fees, dates, and enrollment procedures.

Thank you for your understanding. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Ahsan Amin

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly identified the course, provided a logical and professional reason for the cancellation (an unexpected work assignment), and effectively inquired about future alternatives. The tone is consistently appropriate for a formal letter to an administrator. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, and the ideas are well-developed and relevant to the prompt. There are no omissions, and the structure is perfectly suited to the requirements of a General Training Task 1 letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving smoothly from the request for cancellation to the explanation and finally the inquiry about future options. Cohesive devices such as 'As a result', 'I would therefore be grateful', and 'In addition' (implied through structure) are used effectively to link sentences. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the opening and closing salutations are correctly formatted for a formal letter, ensuring the text is easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal business context. Phrases such as 'request the cancellation', 'eligible for a refund', and 'schedule becomes less demanding' are used accurately and naturally. The language is precise and conveys your meaning without ambiguity. While the vocabulary is functional and correct, it stays within a standard range; incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or nuanced expressions could elevate this further, but the current level is more than sufficient for the task requirements.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writing displays a high level of grammatical control. You use a mix of complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'if you could cancel' and relative clauses like 'which is due to begin'. There is one minor subject-verb agreement error in the phrase 'courses which is likely to be available' (should be 'are likely'), but this is a rare slip in an otherwise error-free text. Punctuation is accurate, and the sentence variety contributes to a fluent reading experience. The majority of your sentences are error-free.

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