Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-24

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 7.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to formally request the cancellation of my enrollment in a part-time course at your college.I recently registered for the Graphic design certification course which is scheduled to begin on October 15th, under student registration number #89960.

Regrettably, I must cancel my booking due to an unforessen change in my personal circumstances. I have recently been assigned extra responsibilities and working hours at my job, which directly conflict with the scheduled evening classes for this course. As a result, I will no longer be able to attend the sessions as originally planned.

However, I remain very keen to continue my studies at your institution. I would be greatful if you could provide details regarding alternative part-time programs, particularly weekend classes in digital marketing. Could you please confirm about the available seats and if my existing payment can be transferred to this new program?

I apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation may cause and look forward to receiving your response.

Your faithfully,

Sara

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The student has successfully addressed all three bullet points of the task. First, the specific part-time course is clearly stated as the Graphic design certification course scheduled for October 15th with student registration number #89960. Second, the reason for cancellation is thoroughly explained through an unforeseen change in personal circumstances involving extra work responsibilities and conflicting evening classes. Third, inquiries are made regarding alternative part-time programs, specifically weekend classes in digital marketing, along with questions about available seats and fee transfers. The tone is appropriately formal for a college administrator, and the purpose of the letter is maintained consistently throughout the text. Therefore, all requirements for a high band have been fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The letter exhibits a clear and logical overall organization, moving smoothly from the statement of purpose to the explanation, the alternative inquiry, and finally the polite closing. Paragraphing is used effectively and appropriately, with each major point allocated to its own distinct paragraph. Cohesive devices such as 'Regrettably', 'As a result', and 'However' are handled well to connect ideas and signal logical transitions. Referencing is clear throughout, and the letter reads naturally from start to finish without any noticeable confusion or disjointed phrasing, meeting the criteria for a well-structured formal correspondence.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and generally natural range of vocabulary suitable for a formal request letter, utilizing phrases such as 'formally request', 'unforeseen change', and 'directly conflict'. There are a couple of minor lexical slips, such as the spelling error 'unforessen' (unforeseen) and the misspelling 'greatful' (grateful). Despite these occasional slips, the vocabulary used is precise enough to convey the message clearly and effectively. The student also attempts some less common lexical items like 'enrollment' and 'institution', displaying an adequate range for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The writing features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I recently registered for the Graphic design certification course which is scheduled to begin on October 15th' and 'I would be greatful if you could provide details regarding alternative part-time programs'. The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate and easy to understand. There is a minor punctuation error in the opening paragraph where a space is missing after a period ('college.I recently'), and a sign-off error at the end ('Your faithfully' instead of 'Yours faithfully'). However, these errors do not impede communication, and good control of grammar and punctuation is maintained overall.

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