Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-23

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 Mr. Ayinde,

I trust this letter finds you well. Initially, I applied for Pharmacognosy as a part-time course but after many considerations, I would like to cancel the application.

The primary reason I am doing this is because of time constraint. Presently, I work two different jobs to be able to afford my tuition, and this leaves less time for me to study for the course. As you are aware, Pharmacognosy is a course that is time demanding for research and extensive reading which would not be possible with my current engagement.

Secondly, the course has less prospects for employment which is something that is greatly concerning for me. I decided to take a part-time course so I can be gainfully employed in a heath related institution.

If you do not mind me asking, is it possible for me to change to another course? I would prefer Pharmacology which is more relatable with more job opportunities and less time consuming for study.

I would appreciate if you can kindly assist and respond to my request.

Yours sincerely,

Lekan Balogun

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You have fully covered all three bullet points required in the prompt. You successfully identified the booked course as Pharmacognosy, explained your cancellation reasons due to time constraints and employment prospects, and asked about switching to Pharmacology. Note, however, that the prompt specified addressing the letter to "Dear Sir or Madam," whereas your salutation was "Dear Mr. Ayinde,". Despite this minor deviation in the opening, your ideas are well-developed, extended, and fully relevant to the scenario. Your tone is appropriate for a formal letter. Therefore, your performance aligns strongly with the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

Your letter demonstrates a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving smoothly from the initial application to your reasons for cancellation, followed by your inquiry regarding a course change. You have used effective cohesive devices such as "Initially," "Secondly," and "If you do not mind me asking," which guide the reader naturally through the text. Paragraphing is used appropriately and supports the overall structure of a formal request letter. This performance satisfies the requirements for Band 7.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, such as "gainfully employed," "time demanding," and "prospects for employment." You also attempted less common items appropriate for an academic or formal context. However, there are a few minor lexical inaccuracies or awkward collocations, such as writing "has less prospects" instead of "fewer prospects" and "relatable with more job opportunities" where "relevant" or "closely related" might fit better. These minor slips prevent a higher band, placing your lexical resource firmly at Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You have demonstrated a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as "Presently, I work two different jobs to be able to afford my tuition, and this leaves less time for me to study for the course." There are occasional minor grammatical errors, such as "less time consuming for study" (should be "less time-consuming to study") and "I would appreciate if you can kindly assist" (missing "it" before "if"). However, these errors are relatively infrequent and do not impede communication. Your control of grammar and punctuation is solid, supporting a Band 7 score.

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

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