Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-13

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)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to tell you that I am working in this company for the past two years and now I have decided to move to a different department in the same company.

I have learned many skills by working in this company. They also helped me to improve my communication skills. Working in this company also gives me the opportunity to increase my confidence and become more independent.

I think my existing skills could help the new department. This company taught me how to behave with others, so I think it would be helpful for them as well.

The reason why I don't want to leave the company is that your staff is very cooperative. The manager and colleagues are well-behaved and they know how to respect each other and I am very impressed with your company for this reason.

I hope that you would appreciate my idea and I look forward to your reply.

Regards,

X-Y-Z

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address all three bullet points: you mention communication, confidence and independence gained in your current role, suggest that your skills could help another department, and explain that you value the cooperative staff. However, the benefits to the company are only asserted rather than explained; for example, “my existing skills could help the new department” would be stronger with a specific contribution you could make. Your learning is also described generally, without examples of duties or achievements. The purpose is clear, but the request could be framed more directly and professionally. The 10 words copied from the task prompt were not counted in the authoritative length check; the requirement is met. Develop the transfer benefit and make the request explicit to address the task more fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with separate paragraphs for your experience, the proposed move, your reasons for staying, and the closing. This makes the main points easy to locate. However, progression within the paragraphs is limited: the paragraph about your skills does not explain how they connect to the needs of the new department, and the reason for staying is expressed through several similar points about staff and respect. Linking phrases such as “In addition” and “As a result” could clarify how ideas relate, while a more focused paragraph sequence would strengthen the overall flow. The closing is appropriate, though the transition from your reasons to the request could be smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main message, using relevant terms such as “communication skills,” “confidence,” “independent,” and “cooperative.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are broad or repetitive, including “helpful,” “company,” and “well-behaved.” Some choices are not quite natural for a formal workplace letter: “how to behave with others” is vague, and “well-behaved” is more commonly used for children than colleagues. More precise workplace language would help explain your value and maintain an appropriate tone. For example, describe particular skills or contributions rather than referring generally to “existing skills.” Aim for accurate collocations and varied wording while keeping the letter clear.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use mostly straightforward sentence patterns, and the message remains understandable. There are attempts at longer structures, such as “The reason why I don't want to leave the company is that…,” but the range is limited and some sentence forms need more control. In the opening, “I am working in this company for the past two years” uses an unsuitable tense for an activity that began in the past and continues; use the present perfect continuous. In “your staff is very cooperative,” the agreement depends on whether “staff” is treated as a collective group, so a plural construction may be more natural here. The long sentence beginning “The manager and colleagues…” would also benefit from clearer punctuation or division. Practise varied, accurate sentence structures.

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

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