Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You work for an international company. You have seen an advertisement for a training course which will be useful for your job.

Write a letter to your manager. In your letter

• describe the training course you want to do
• explain what the company could do to help you
• say how the course will be useful for your job

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to request your approval to attend a professional training course called Advanced Leadership and Retail Management, which will be held online over four weekends next month. The course covers topics such as team leadership, customer experience, inventory management, sales analysis, and conflict resolution. As these are closely related to my current responsibilities, I believe it would be highly beneficial.

I would appreciate the company's support in two ways. Firstly, I would be grateful if the company could cover all or part of the course fee. Secondly, I would appreciate some flexibility in my work schedule on the training days so that I can attend the sessions without affecting my performance at work.

I am confident that this course will help me develop stronger leadership and decision-making skills. I will be able to manage my team more effectively, improve customer satisfaction, and contribute to achieving higher sales targets. In addition, I will share the knowledge and practical strategies I learn with my colleagues, which will also benefit the company.

Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to your positive response.

Yours faithfully,

Kamya Sharma

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly describe the 'Advanced Leadership and Retail Management' course, specify the two forms of support required (financial and scheduling), and explain the professional benefits of the training. The tone is appropriate for a formal business letter, and the purpose is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and logically presented, demonstrating a strong understanding of the task requirements. There are no omissions, and the response maintains a professional focus throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'In addition' effectively to link your ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the transition between the request for support and the explanation of benefits is smooth. The overall structure is coherent, and the use of referencing is precise, ensuring that the flow of information is natural and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context. Phrases such as 'professional training course', 'closely related to my current responsibilities', and 'practical strategies' show a solid command of business-related language. The word choice is accurate and fits the formal tone of the letter well. While the vocabulary is functional and precise, it could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band, but it is certainly sufficient for clear and effective communication in this task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing is highly accurate with a variety of complex sentence structures. You successfully use conditional structures and relative clauses, such as 'I would be grateful if the company could cover...' and '...which will be held online...'. The grammar is consistently correct, and there are no significant errors in punctuation or syntax. The control over complex structures is strong, and the majority of sentences are error-free, which contributes to the professional quality of the letter.

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

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