Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-03

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I want to cancel my booking which I booked recently.

My name Tarundeep, I recently booked a part-time course at your college which is Mechanical Tools and Techniques. It has been 5 months since I passed out from your college and it was a great experience there.

As of now, I am having a serious problem at my home and I have to go back to my country for that, which means I cannot able to continue my course there.

I belive when I come back after 2 months I will surely join another course which will be available that time

Your sincerely,

Tarun

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the course as “Mechanical Tools and Techniques” and explain that a serious problem at home means you must return to your country, so the main purpose is understandable. You also mention joining another course after two months, which addresses the request to ask about a different course only indirectly: you do not actually ask the administrator what options are available or how to book one. The reason for cancelling is relevant but remains general, and the letter does not clearly request confirmation of cancellation. The response is also 35 words below the required minimum, leaving little space to develop these points. Add a direct request about alternative courses and provide a little more relevant detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information follows a generally sensible order: you state your purpose, name the course, explain the reason for cancelling, and then refer to a future course. This makes the letter understandable overall. However, the ideas are compressed into one continuous block, so paragraphing does not help distinguish the cancellation from the enquiry about another course. Some links are also awkward or unclear, such as “which I booked recently” repeating the opening idea and “which means” connecting the travel explanation mechanically. Use separate paragraphs for the cancellation and the alternative-course request, and make the relationship between ideas more direct. A clear closing request would also give the letter a stronger progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the basic situation, with relevant expressions such as “part-time course,” “cancel my booking,” and “serious problem at my home.” However, the range is limited and some phrases are repetitive or imprecise: “booking which I booked” repeats the same word, while “join another course which will be available that time” does not clearly express an enquiry. There are also spelling and form errors, including “belive” and “Your sincerely,” which reduce the accuracy of the language. Aim for more precise, polite administrative wording, such as asking about “available courses” or “enrolment options,” and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple sentences and a longer sentence explaining the reason for cancellation, so there is some structural variety. The main message remains understandable, but several grammatical errors occur. For example, “My name Tarundeep” needs a verb (“My name is Tarundeep”), and “I cannot able to continue” should be “I will not be able to continue.” In “It has been 5 months since I passed out,” the time expression and verb choice need attention; “I graduated five months ago” is clearer. The final sentence also needs punctuation and a clearer clause structure. Practise accurate forms with modal verbs and use complete sentences, while retaining the longer structures you attempt.

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