Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-24
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 6.5)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am student of your college, and recently I enrolled in a part-time course. The reson behind writing this letter is that I would like to cancel my booking.
Actually, I booked a business management course as I had background in commerce, and I wanted to pursue my career in this field.
However, I have to go back to my home because my family influenced me to make a career in law, and they told me what are the career opportunities i will get in this field. So, sadly, I need to cancel my booking for this course.
I, therefore, would like to book a law course in the next session, if it is availiable. I apologize for the inconvenience that I have caused.
Kindly, allow me to join the different course, so I can flourish the fair name of my family.
Kind regards,
Akashdeep 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
You address all three points clearly: you identify the business management course, explain that family circumstances and career advice have changed your plans, and ask to join a law course in the next session. The purpose of the letter is clear from the opening, and the apology is appropriate for a formal request. Your explanation gives a relevant reason, although the family’s influence and the need to return home are not fully connected, so the circumstances could be explained more precisely. The request to change courses is also somewhat general; asking about availability, fees, or the procedure for transferring would make it more complete. Overall, the key information is present and relevant, with some details that could be developed further.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
The letter has a clear progression: you introduce the cancellation, name the course, explain the change in plans, and then request a different course. Paragraph breaks help separate these stages, while linking expressions such as “However” and “therefore” make the relationship between ideas easy to follow. The overall organisation is effective for a formal letter. Some connections could be smoother: “I have to go back to my home” and the family’s preference for a career in law are presented together, but their relationship is not entirely clear. The final request also repeats the idea of joining a different course without adding much detail. A more direct transition into a specific question about the law course would make the progression more polished.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the purpose, including “enrolled,” “career opportunities,” “cancel my booking,” and “inconvenience.” These choices make the main message understandable and show some attempt at formal language. However, several word-choice and spelling issues reduce precision: “reson” should be “reason,” “availiable” should be “available,” and “flourish the fair name of my family” is not a natural expression in this context. “Influenced me to make a career in law” is also awkwardly phrased. Aim for conventional, precise language in formal correspondence rather than expressions whose meaning may be unclear. More natural collocations would strengthen the letter while preserving its polite tone.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the reason clause beginning “as” and the conditional request “if it is available.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and the reader can follow the cancellation and course-change request. Some grammatical errors remain. For example, “I am student” needs an article (“I am a student”), and “I had background in commerce” also needs an article or a different construction. In “they told me what are the career opportunities I will get,” the indirect question should use statement word order, such as “what career opportunities I would have.” The sentence beginning “Kindly, allow me” also has unnecessary punctuation after the opening adverb. Review articles, indirect questions, and punctuation in formal requests.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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