Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-01

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 Sir/Madam

I am writing to inform you that, I will be unable to attend the COMPUTER GRAPHICS course that I booked at your college for this fall.

To start with, the reason behind my cancellation is personal, as I am visiting my family back in India to attend the upcoming wedding of my cousin brother. So, I will be away for minimum three months because I don`t want to miss any important moments during this whole family reunion. In addition, I am also struggling financially, Since, I have to put my tuition funds for my flight ticket, family gifts and shopping.

Finally, I would like you to provide me details about any courses you have available for coming Spring relating to BUSINESS SECTOR or LOGISTICS at your early convenience. as I am focusing more towards these aspects now.

looking forward to hear from you soon,

Kind regards,

AMRITPAL SINGH DHILLON

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

You address all three required points: you identify the Computer Graphics course, explain that a family wedding in India and financial pressures prevent attendance, and ask about spring courses in business or logistics. The reasons are relevant and give the administrator a clear understanding of your situation. The request for another course is also specific enough to guide a reply. To strengthen the letter further, develop the alternative-course enquiry by asking about particular options, schedules, or whether your booking can be transferred. The explanation of the financial difficulty could also be expressed more clearly. Overall, the purpose is clear and the main ideas are extended, although a couple of details remain general.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter follows a clear sequence: cancellation first, reasons next, and a request about future courses at the end. Linking phrases such as “To start with,” “In addition,” and “Finally” help signal this progression, and the reader can follow your purpose throughout. However, the response is presented as one continuous block rather than in clearly separated paragraphs, which makes the shift from explaining the cancellation to asking about another course less distinct. Some transitions also feel formulaic, and the final request and closing run together. Use separate paragraphs for the cancellation and the new-course enquiry, and punctuate the closing as a distinct sign-off to make the organisation more polished.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal cancellation letter, including “unable to attend,” “personal,” “financially,” and “available.” The course areas are clearly named, and the meaning remains understandable. There are also attempts at more specific expressions, but some choices are unnatural or imprecise: “cousin brother,” “at your early convenience,” and “focusing more towards these aspects” do not sound idiomatic in this context. “Shopping” is also vague as an explanation of expenses. These choices show some range, but more accurate collocations and a consistently formal register would improve flexibility and precision. Prefer familiar, natural phrases over literal translations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including the explanation beginning “as I am visiting my family” and the reason introduced by “because.” The message is generally clear, but some grammar and punctuation errors remain. For example, the comma in “I am writing to inform you that, I will be unable” is unnecessary, and “Since” is incorrectly capitalised after a comma in “financially, Since.” The sentence beginning “as I am focusing” starts with a lowercase letter and is awkwardly attached to the preceding request. The closing phrase “looking forward to hear from you” also needs a different verb pattern. Review sentence boundaries, capitalisation, and verb forms to make your varied structures more accurate.

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

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