Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-21

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 or Madam,

Mohammed Hamza Deverjiyani, student ID: [redacted phone], am writing this letter to request cancellation of the BUSI 3166 part-time course I have opted for in the winter 2026 term. I am requesting a cancellation for the following reason: I see that I do have to complete BUSI 3165 before I am eligible to start the other course. I understand there are late fees charged for every additional course added or changed, so I would appreciate it if I were allowed to finish BUSI 3165 prior to BUSI 3166.

I hope you understand that being in such a situation can also affect my study permit being voided, and I won't be allowed to work for the winter term 2026. Hoping this can be resolved smoothly so I can resume my studies without affecting my work and can also follow all the legal formalities. Waiting to hear back from you

Kind regards,

Mohammed hamza deverjiyani.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully covers all requirements of the prompt. You clearly stated which part-time course you booked ('BUSI 3166... in the winter 2026 term'), explained why you need to cancel ('I do have to complete BUSI 3165 before I am eligible to start'), and asked about booking a different course or rearranging it ('I would appreciate it if I were allowed to finish BUSI 3165 prior to BUSI 3166'). The tone is appropriately formal for a letter to a college administrator, and all bullet points from the prompt are fully addressed with relevant, coherent details. Therefore, this fulfills the Band 7 level criteria.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter maintains a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. You open appropriately with 'Dear Sir or Madam,' and immediately introduce yourself and your purpose. Cohesive devices are used adequately, such as 'For the following reason' and 'so I would appreciate', which help guide the reader through your explanation and request. Paragraphing is mostly functional, although the main body is condensed into a single longer block and a second shorter paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, and the overall letter flows well from the cancellation request to the visa/work implications and the final sign-off, fitting a Band 6.5 or solid 6.0 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating functional and topic-specific terms such as 'cancellation', 'eligible', 'late fees', 'study permit', and 'legal formalities'. There are some attempts at less common phrasing, though occasional awkward word choices occur, such as writing 'study permit being voided' instead of 'having my study permit voided'. Nonetheless, your vocabulary choice is precise enough to communicate your administrative situation clearly without causing any misunderstanding for the reader, placing this firmly in the Band 6.0 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

Your writing displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as the multi-clause complex sentence beginning with 'Mohammed Hamza Deverjiyani... am writing this letter...'. There are some structural errors and awkward phrasing, notably the missing pronoun and subject-verb alignment at the start ('Mohammed Hamza Deverjiyani, student ID: ... am writing') and run-on structures like 'Hoping this can be resolved smoothly so I can resume my studies without affecting my work and can also follow all the legal formalities.' However, these grammatical lapses rarely impede communication, allowing the reader to fully grasp your meaning, which aligns with Band 6.0 descriptors.

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

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