Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-29

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 7.5)

Dear Mark,

I hope you are well and that your current project deadlines are going smoothly. I am writing to formally express my strong interest in transferring from the Finance to the Sales department, as I believe this would be a significant step towards my career development.

Since joining the company, I have developed key core skills, including communication, accounting and financial record management. Additionally, in my current role, I have closely monitored budgeting for various internal teams and authored internal memos and private company blogs.

I believe that moving to the Sales department will allow me to help the company address critical areas, such as reversing declining sales revenue while maintaining a 30 percent profit margin. These are highly beneficial avenues where the company should invest to increase its market share. Furthermore, I have already proactively addressed our sales resource shortage by successfully training team members through our internal incubation program.

The company has provided me with excellent perks and an invaluable learning environment. I remain completely dedicated to the organization and deeply appreciate the trust the leadership team has placed in me.

I have already submitted a formal request for a departmental transfer and hope you will review it favorably. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Viral Siddhapura

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The response successfully covers all parts of the task prompt in an appropriate semi-formal tone. The writer outlines what has been learned in their present job by mentioning skills like communication and financial record management, as well as monitoring budgeting. Furthermore, the letter suggests how the company would benefit from moving departments, noting the reversal of declining sales revenue and addressing resource shortages through an internal incubation program. Finally, the writer explains why they wish to stay by praising the company perks and work environment. The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are well-developed and supported. This aligns closely with the Band 8 descriptor, as all parts of the task are well-covered with strong, relevant development.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and progression from the opening salutation to the closing sign-off. Paragraphing is used effectively and appropriately, with each paragraph dedicated to a distinct purpose, such as stating the purpose of the letter, outlining past learning, suggesting company benefits, expressing loyalty, and concluding. Cohesive devices are handled well and used naturally throughout the text, as seen with transitions like 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', and 'The company has provided me'. Reference words are clear and unambiguous. Overall, the essay flows smoothly and is easy to follow, meeting the criteria for a solid Band 7 or 8.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient and generally flexible range of vocabulary suited to a professional correspondence task. Less common lexical items and business-related phrasing are used with good awareness of style and collocation, such as 'formally express my strong interest', 'financial record management', and 'internal incubation program'. Word choice is generally precise, and spelling is entirely accurate. While there is occasional room for even more sophisticated idiomatic control, the vocabulary used is ample to convey precise meaning without strain, easily satisfying the Band 7 criteria.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The writing features a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, showcasing excellent control over subordination, relative clauses, and participial phrases, such as in the sentence beginning with 'Additionally, in my current role, I have closely monitored...'. Punctuation is handled expertly, and grammatical control remains exceptionally strong throughout the piece. There are only very minor stylistic imperfections rather than systematic errors, which justifies a high band score matching Band 8 standards.

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