User-written IELTS example

Writing General Training Task 1 Band 5.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

217 words General TrainingTask 1Letter

Task 1 Letter

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

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Ideas to explore

Explain a specific, credible reason for missing the deadline, such as underestimating the research and organisation required.
Show what work is already complete and what remains, so the lecturer can see that the requested extra time has a clear purpose.
Acknowledge the course policy and ask about any required process, while keeping the tone respectful and accountable.

Suggested structure

Open with a greeting and identify yourself and your course.
State the missed deadline and apologise briefly.
Explain why the project is unfinished and describe your progress.
Request a specific extension and give a clear submission plan.
Ask about any procedure, thank the lecturer, and close formally.

Useful vocabulary & examples

grant an extension: allow extra time to complete or submit work
I would be grateful if you could grant me an extension of one week.
underestimate the time required: misjudge how long a task will take
I underestimated the time required to research the topic and organise the evidence.
subject to the course policy: dependent on the rules that apply to the course
I understand that late work may be subject to the course policy.
follow a procedure: complete the steps required by an organisation
Please let me know if there is a form or procedure I should follow.

Task Prompt

You are taking a course at a local college. The deadline for your project was last week but you haven’t finished it. Write a letter to your lecturer. In your letter • introduce yourself • explain why you haven’t handed in the project yet • request more time to do it.

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 5.0

Dear Mrs. Gupta, I am writing this letter to request more time for this term project submission. My name is Ann Maria Joseph and I am a student of psychology Class Section A in St. Francis College. Koramangala. we were given a project and the deadline for this project was last week. Let me explain why I could not submit it on time. I have been struggling to organise the research and analyse the material for the project, and I underestimated how long this work would take. I also had other coursework to complete during the same period, so I could not give the project enough attention before the deadline. I am sorry that I did not contact you earlier or submit the unfinished work.

I have now completed most of the research and am working on the final sections. I would be grateful if you could allow me one additional week to finish the project and check it carefully. I will use this time to complete the remaining work and submit it promptly. Please let me know if this extension is possible, or if you would prefer me to follow a different arrangement.

Thank you for considering my request. I apologise for the inconvenience and hope you will understand my situation.

Yours sincerely, Ann Maria Joseph

Targeted Improvement Tips

Combine “St. Francis College” and “Koramangala” into one correctly punctuated institution-and-location phrase, then capitalise “We.”

Make the reason for the late submission specific and concise, then connect it directly to the apology and extension request.

Use a clear letter layout with separate paragraphs for your introduction and reason, your request, and your closing.

AI Feedback

Overall Band

5.0

Modest

Words

217

Type

Letter

Criteria Breakdown

Task Achievement

6.0 Band

The letter covers the requested points: “My name is Ann Maria Joseph” introduces the writer, and the continuation explains the delay through difficulty with research and competing coursework. It also makes a clear request for “one additional week.” The apology and thanks suit the purpose. For a stronger response, state the reason more directly and ensure the college location is presented as part of the address or institution name.

Coherence & Cohesion

5.5 Band

The ideas follow a useful sequence: introduction, explanation, apology, extension request, and closing. However, “St. Francis College. Koramangala. we were given” disrupts the opening with sentence fragments and a lower-case start. The rest of the letter is easier to follow, with paragraphs separating the request from its supporting details. Next, group the institution and location together and use clear paragraph breaks throughout.

Lexical Resource

5.5 Band

The continuation uses appropriate phrases for a formal request, including “I would be grateful” and “submit it promptly,” and gives relevant detail about the work. Some wording is repetitive or less natural, especially “this term project submission” and the repeated use of “project.” Choose a concise collocation such as “request an extension” and vary repeated nouns with clear references such as “the assignment” or “it.”

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

5.0 Band

The continuation includes accurate complex sentences, for example, “I also had other coursework to complete during the same period, so I could not give the project enough attention.” In the preserved opening, “Koramangala.” creates a fragment and “we” begins a sentence without a capital. The phrase “a student of psychology Class Section A” is also awkwardly formed. Practise sentence boundaries and use a clear pattern such as “a student in [course/class].”

Topic Band Distribution

Band 9.03 examples

Band 8.03 examples

Band 7.03 examples

Band 6.03 examples

Band 5.03 examples

Band 4.03 examples

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