Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-12

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 or Madam,

I am writing to request the cancellation of my booking for the part-time Business Management course, which I recently enrolled in at your college.

Unfortunately, I have recently started a new job, and my working hours have changed. As a result, I will not be able to attend the classes regularly. Therefore, I would like to cancel my booking for this course. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

However, I am still interested in studying at your college. Could you please let me know if there are any other part-time courses that are available in the evening or at weekends? I would particularly like to take a course related to Accounting or Business Administration, as these subjects are relevant to my future career.

I would also appreciate it if you could tell me whether I can transfer my booking to another course instead of cancelling it completely. Please let me know about the available options and any additional fees that I may need to pay.

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

Yours faithfully,

Muhammad Muhtashim

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully satisfies all requirements of the task. The candidate clearly identifies the part-time Business Management course in the opening paragraph, explains the reason for cancellation due to a change in working hours resulting from a new job, and effectively asks about booking an alternative course in the evening or at weekends, specifically mentioning Accounting or Business Administration. Furthermore, the writer explores the possibility of transferring the booking rather than outright cancellation. All bullet points are well-developed with appropriate supporting details, presenting a clear and polite tone suitable for a general training letter to a college administrator. The purpose of the letter is sustained and clear throughout. Therefore, this performance easily merits a Band 8.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter exhibits a logical organization and smooth progression throughout. Information and ideas are grouped cohesively into appropriate paragraphs, each serving a distinct function: stating the purpose, explaining the reason, exploring alternative courses and transfers, and offering a courteous sign-off. Cohesive devices are managed naturally and appropriately, such as 'Unfortunately', 'As a result', 'Therefore', and 'However'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively, making the letter extremely easy to follow. Referencing is clear and unambiguous. While cohesion is well-managed and unobtrusive, it does not quite reach the effortless, seamless standards of the highest band, comfortably placing this piece at Band 8.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal administrative request. Terms such as 'cancellation', 'inconvenience', 'relevant', and 'additional fees' are used with precision. The writer also successfully employs less common items and collocations, such as 'enrolled in at your college', 'attend the classes regularly', and 'transfer my booking'. Spelling and word choice are entirely accurate throughout the response. Although there is no major display of highly sophisticated idiomatic language—which is unnecessary for this task type—the vocabulary deployed is fully flexible and precise, warranting a solid Band 8.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The response features a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The candidate successfully integrates conditional and dependent clauses, such as 'Could you please let me know if there are any other part-time courses that are available...' and 'I would also appreciate it if you could tell me whether I can transfer...'. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, with excellent control over punctuation, tense consistency, and subject-verb agreement. Minor errors are absent. The command of grammar easily meets the criteria for Band 8.0, showing rare minor slips at worst—though none are actually present in this clean, well-crafted submission.

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

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