Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-17

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

 

You started in your present job two years ago. You now feel it is important for your career development to move to a different department in the same company.

Write a letter to your manager. In your letter

• say what you have learned in your present job
• suggest how the company would benefit from moving you to a different department
• explain why you do not wish to leave the company

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ....................................,

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Dear Mr. John,

I am writing to express my interest in moving over to Software development, after working for nearly two years in the Quality Assurance and Testing department.

In my current role as a Software Tester, I have learnt a wide range of skills such as collaborating with different teams within the company as well as learning from senior developers. In addition, I have acquired in-depth knowledge about the product while working on maintaining the website quality.

I believe, at this point in my career, it is crucial that I switch over to the Software developer department as I have learnt the coding language required to build and support the company's website. As I have all the important details about the product, I can perform with confidence in contributing to the codebase, ensuring smooth transition between departments.

Although I am requesting for this change, I want to continue with the company as I have found great mentors and project managers. Furthermore, I appreciate the opportunity to work and collaborate with various teams, helping me polish my communication skills.

I look forward to hearing from you about this switch.

Yours sincerely,

Jane.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain your current learning experiences, provide a logical reason for how the company benefits from your transfer (leveraging your existing product knowledge), and express your commitment to the company. The tone is appropriate for a formal business letter. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the opening paragraph. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific detail regarding the 'coding language' or the specific projects you hope to contribute to in the new department to further strengthen the argument for your transfer.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a single aspect of the prompt, which makes the letter easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', and 'Although' effectively to link your ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The flow of information is smooth, and the transition between your current role and your future aspirations is handled naturally. The structure is professional and supports the overall message effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context, such as 'collaborating', 'in-depth knowledge', and 'codebase'. The language is precise and fits the requirements of the task well. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation. To move towards a band 8 or 9, you could incorporate more sophisticated or idiomatic business collocations, such as 'seeking a lateral move' or 'leveraging my expertise', to add a more polished, professional flair to your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

Your writing shows a good control of sentence structure, using a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively. For example, 'Although I am requesting for this change, I want to continue with the company...' is a well-constructed complex sentence. There are very few grammatical errors; however, there is a minor error in 'requesting for this change' (the verb 'request' does not take the preposition 'for'). Overall, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate throughout the letter.

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

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