Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-18

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 6.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this this letter to humbly request for the cancellation of my booking in a part-time course. I recently enrolled in a part time course in horticulture in your prestigious institution. The course will be starting next week, and I was very much excited for being a student once again.

The reason for the change is that I was confused between two courses, horticulture and agronomy, due to peer pressure I selected horticulture. However, after doing introspection for hours, I realized later that a course in agronomy would be best suited for my academic growth and job prospects in future. Moreover, I have farming background where I can apply my theoratical knowledge in a practical way.

I would greatly appreciate your assistance, if you can swap my booking from horticulture course to an agronomic course. I can pay for the cancellation fee, if there is any.

Thankyou for the assistance

Kind regards,

Amitoz Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate has successfully addressed all three bullet points required in the task instructions. First, the specific part-time course (horticulture) is clearly stated in the opening paragraph. Second, the reason for cancellation—realising that agronomy is a better fit for future career prospects and academic growth—is well explained. Third, the letter effectively asks about booking a different course, specifically swapping to agronomy, and inquires about any potential cancellation fees. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a college administrator. The purpose is clear from the beginning and maintained throughout the response. All requirements of the prompt are covered well, demonstrating a clear understanding of General Training correspondence, placing this solidly in the Band 7 range.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter exhibits a clear logical organisation and progression. It starts with an appropriate formal salutation (Dear Sir/Madam), follows with the main purpose, explains the background and reasons in the second paragraph, and concludes with the request and a suitable sign-off. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Moreover', and referencing words like 'The course' and 'The reason' are used effectively to connect ideas. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, separating the introduction, the body explanation, and the closing request distinctly. While the transition between ideas could occasionally be smoother, the overall arrangement is coherent and easy to follow, supporting a Band 7 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The candidate demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, employing less common items such as 'introspection', 'prestigious institution', and 'job prospects'. However, there are a few minor lexical inaccuracies and awkward collocations, such as 'request for the cancellation' (request cancellation), 'excited for being' (excited about being), and 'agronomic course' (course in agronomy). Spelling is generally accurate, though 'theoratical' contains a spelling error. Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary used is adequate to convey precise meaning and reflects a clear attempt to use sophisticated terminology, comfortably meeting the criteria for Band 6.5, rounded to 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The candidate demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Complex structures are attempted with varying success, such as conditional clauses ('if you can swap my booking...'). There are some noticeable grammatical errors, notably a repeated word error in the opening sentence ('writing this this letter') and a slight punctuation/comma splice issue in the third paragraph ('I would greatly appreciate your assistance, if you can swap...'). However, these errors rarely impede communication, and the majority of simple sentences are accurate. Tense control is generally sound across past, present, and future references. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptors for grammar.

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

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