Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-22

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 5.5)

Respected Manager, I hope you are doing well. I am working in your company as a field officer for past 2 years. It has been a great learning curve for me. During this period, I have visited various agricultural fields across the area. I have learnt a great deal regarding how to assess the crop field, and gave a formidable advice to the farmers. By doing early diagnosis of disease in the crops, I have helped multiple farmers in achieving their required yield and recommending our companies products to them.

Now , I want to try my hand in marketing. I am sure that I will be able to play a key role in that department too. I want to explore my potential, and I feel now is the time to fulfil it. I have always quite passionate about marketing and my main target is to increase our annual sales.

I will keep on working for this company and I have no intention of leaving it as this company believed in my strength and

abilities. I am looking forward to serve it well.

Thank You for considering my request. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Arslan Abbas

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly described your current role as a field officer, explained the potential benefits of your move to marketing, and expressed your commitment to the company. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention wanting to 'try my hand in marketing', you could have provided more specific details on how your field experience would translate into marketing success. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though 'Respected Manager' is less common in professional English than 'Dear [Name]'. Overall, the task is fulfilled, but the depth of explanation could be improved to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from your current experience to your future aspirations and your commitment to the firm. Paragraphing is present, though the structure is a bit cramped. You use some cohesive devices like 'During this period' and 'Now', but the flow between sentences can feel slightly mechanical. Some transitions are missing, which makes the jump between your current duties and your desire to switch departments feel a bit abrupt. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'learning curve', 'diagnose', and 'yield'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For instance, 'gave a formidable advice' is incorrect; 'formidable' is usually used for something intimidating or impressive, and 'advice' is uncountable. You also wrote 'I have always quite passionate', missing the verb 'been'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of professional collocations would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'I am working... for past 2 years' (should be 'for the past two years'), 'recommending our companies products' (missing an apostrophe: 'company's'), and 'I am looking forward to serve it well' (should be 'to serving'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and the proper use of gerunds after phrases like 'look forward to'.

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

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