Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-19

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have enrolled in an evening course but you have found that you are too busy to continue and would like to take the course next term instead.

• explain the situation and why you cannot continue the course

• say what you would like to do about your studies

• ask for advice about what you can do about the situation

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I hope this letter finds in good health and high spirits.

I am writing to express my request according that course, which I have enrolled in an evening course but I have found that I would not able to continue and I would like to pursue the course in next term.

Firstly, I would like to express my apologize for unable to continue this course because considerable project working to lead a big part of to keep busy in office hours. Not only the big project provide me valuable experience, but it also provide me significant skills.

I honestly would like to study about that course which I registered in an evening. I carefully though regarding my study and finally I decided to extend my curriculum and would take in in next semester.

Furthermore, I would ask for precious advice about what I should I do in this situation. Please, let me know if you have some another way to continue my lesson. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Lynn

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task: explaining the situation, stating your desire to postpone, and asking for advice. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the first and second paragraphs where you explain your work situation. To improve, ensure that each bullet point is addressed with distinct, clear sentences rather than repeating the same information. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the phrasing is occasionally awkward, which slightly impacts the clarity of your request.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. You have used some cohesive devices such as 'Firstly' and 'Furthermore' to link your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes hindered by grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, such as in the second paragraph where the transition between the work project and the course is disjointed. Paragraphing is present, but the internal cohesion within the paragraphs could be improved by using more varied linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'that course') is precise.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to communicate your message, but there are several instances of unnatural collocation and word choice. For example, 'express my apologize' should be 'express my apologies' or 'apologize', and 'precious advice' is not the standard collocation; 'valuable advice' would be more appropriate. There is also some repetition of basic words like 'big' and 'course'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede readability. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'project provide' instead of 'projects provide'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'I would not able to'), and awkward sentence structures (e.g., 'I carefully though regarding my study'). While you attempt some complex sentences, they often contain errors. To improve, focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb tenses. Increasing the accuracy of your simple sentences will significantly improve your score.

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

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