Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
Dear Sir,
The purpose of my writing today is to cancel my reservation for a part-time course at your reputed educational institution.
Actually, around two months ago, I had registered online for the Electrical Engineering Technician course at Davis Campus for the following fall semester. This short-term course would help me to find an eligible apprenticeship in the same field.
Given that, I was already preparing to eagerly join the classes. However, due to an empowering consultation from a family advisor, I have decided not to pursue this course.
Instead, Mechanical Techniques is thought to be a more compelling career as per the consellor based upon its rising demand in the trades. Considering this, I would like to request you to kindly place a program transfer in my case, or otherwise can you please place a defferal if applicable.
Your kind cooperation is highly appreciated. Furthermore, an open line of communication, from your side, in this case would greatly help out. Should you have any concerns, please feel free to reach out.
Sincerely
Simanpreet Singh
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
The response successfully covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. First, the student clearly identifies the course they booked as the 'Electrical Engineering Technician course at Davis Campus'. Second, they explain the reason for cancellation, stating they received new career advice from a family advisor and a counsellor regarding the rising demand for 'Mechanical Techniques'. Third, they effectively ask about booking a different course by requesting a program transfer or a deferral. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a college administrator, and the purpose is clearly sustained throughout the writing, fully satisfying the requirements for this band level.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Ideas are grouped appropriately into paragraphs, moving naturally from the purpose of the letter to the details of the booking, the reasons for cancellation, and finally the request for a transfer. Cohesive devices such as 'Actually', 'Given that', 'However', and 'Considering this' are used to connect ideas, although some transitions like 'Given that' feel slightly unnatural in their exact contextual placement. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, and referencing is generally clear, guiding the reader smoothly from start to finish.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with some attempts at less common and topic-specific items, such as 'reputed educational institution', 'apprenticeship', and 'deferral'. However, there are notable instances of awkward word choice and collocation, such as 'empowering consultation' instead of 'valuable consultation' or 'helpful advice', and 'Mechanical Techniques is thought to be a more compelling career', where 'career path' or 'field' would be more precise. Furthermore, 'consellor' contains a spelling error. Despite these minor slips, the vocabulary used is adequate to convey the intended message clearly.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and participial phrases such as 'Given that, I was already...' and 'Should you have any concerns...'. There are several grammatical inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'The purpose of my writing today is...' (which is slightly unnatural compared to standard formal openings), 'Mechanical Techniques is thought to be' (where the subject-course mismatch slightly affects natural flow), and 'otherwise can you please place a defferal'. Punctuation and control are generally decent, and errors do not impede overall communication.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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