Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-04

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 4.0)

Dear sir,

i am writing to request the cancellation of my part time course " digital marketing which will be start on next month. i want to cancel the booking because my company give me new projects to develop new skills .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify the course as digital marketing and give a reason for cancelling: your company has assigned you new projects. However, the letter is incomplete: it does not ask about booking a different course, and the reason is not explained clearly enough to show how the projects prevent you from attending. The response is also substantially below the required 150 words, so there is not enough development to cover the three bullet points adequately. To improve, state the course and its start date clearly, explain the scheduling conflict, and directly ask which alternative courses are available and how to transfer your booking.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic sequence: you state that you are writing to cancel, name the course, and then give a reason. This makes the main purpose partly understandable. However, the letter stops before completing the requested message, so there is no progression to the question about another course or a suitable closing. The ideas are also compressed into one paragraph, with little linking between the booking and the reason. Develop the letter in separate, purposeful sections—for example, cancellation request, explanation, and enquiry about alternatives—and use simple links such as “Unfortunately” and “Could you please let me know…” to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “cancellation,” “part time course,” “booking,” and “new projects,” so the reader can identify the general topic. The range is narrow, however, and some phrases are not natural or precise: “develop new skills” does not clearly explain why you cannot attend, while “which will be start on next month” is difficult to interpret. Choose more specific language for the scheduling problem and the alternative-course enquiry. For example, explain that the project schedule conflicts with classes, then ask about “transferring my enrolment” or “available course options.” This would make the message clearer and more appropriate for a formal letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts a longer sentence to explain the course and a reason, but control is inconsistent. In “my part time course … which will be start on next month,” the verb form is incorrect and the time phrase is not grammatically formed. “My company give me” also needs a past-tense or present-perfect verb, and the sentence lacks clear punctuation between the course description and the cancellation reason. Most of the writing relies on simple clauses, so there is little evidence of a wider range of structures. Practise accurate past and future forms, articles, and sentence boundaries; for instance, separate the course details from the explanation and connect them with a clear clause.

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

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