Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hope this message finds you well. The purpose of my writing today is to inform you that I cannot proceed with the recent part-time course I booked at your establishment and need your assistance to cancel its registration.

Last month, I booked Psychology 101. According to the course overview, classes would mainly focus on cognitive disabilities such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

This course was suggested by one of my friends and she mentioned this would improve my skills and work efficiency. However, when I discussed this course with my manager, she adviced me to not enroll in this as this course is only about the theories and readings.

My manager suggested me to take part in Psychology 105. Although the overall context of both the courses are similar, Psychology 105 would mainly focus on practicals instead of theory. I also believe that this upgraded course will be more helpful for my employment and I will be grateful if you can assist me with its booking process.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Gurkirat Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The student successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the task prompt. First, the writer clearly states the specific course booked by mentioning 'Last month, I booked Psychology 101'. Second, the reason for cancellation is explained logically through the discussion with a manager who advised that the course focused too heavily on theories rather than practical applications. Third, the letter smoothly transitions into asking about booking an alternative course, specifically 'Psychology 105'. The response maintains an appropriate, polite formal tone suitable for a letter to a college administrator. The purpose of the communication is clearly stated and fully sustained throughout the letter, fulfilling all criteria for a Band 7.0 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter demonstrates a clear overall organization with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a specific function, moving smoothly from the opening statement of purpose to the specific course details, the reasons for cancellation, the alternative course request, and finally a polite sign-off. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Although', and 'Instead of' are used effectively to signal logical relationships between ideas. Referencing is clear throughout the text, as pronouns like 'this course' and 'both the courses' correctly point back to previously established subjects. Paragraphing is used appropriately to structure the letter logically.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for this task, with expressions such as 'cognitive disabilities', 'work efficiency', and 'practical examples'. There are some slight lexical inaccuracies, such as using 'practicals' as a noun instead of 'practical classes' or 'practical work', and a spelling slip with 'adviced' instead of 'advised'. However, these vocabulary and spelling errors do not impede communication, and the writer attempts some less common vocabulary successfully, such as 'establishment', 'overview', and 'upgraded course'. The range is sufficient to convey the intended meaning flexibly and precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses effectively ('Although the overall context of both the courses are similar, Psychology 105 would mainly focus...'). There is a minor grammatical slip in subject-verb agreement with 'both the courses are', and a spelling error with 'adviced' instead of 'advised'. Punctuation is generally accurate, and sentence boundaries are well-managed. The majority of sentences are error-free, and control over complex grammatical structures is evident, allowing for smooth and clear communication throughout the letter.

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

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