Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-07

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

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Dear manager,

I am writing to request permission to attend a training course that I believe would be highly beneficial for my current role in the company.

I recently saw an advertisement for Management skills and Leadership training course. This course focuses on improving leadership abilities, managing staff effectively, setting targets, and developing better communication and teamwork skills. I believe this training would help me improve my professional skills and become a more effective employee.

I would appreciate it if the company could support me by allowing me time to attend this course and, if possible , provide financial assistance with the course fees. The company"s support would encourage me to develop my skills and contribute more effectively to the workplace.

This course will be very useful for my job because I regularly work with a team and need to manage tasks, achieve goals and cooperate with colleagues. The knowledge I gain from this training will help me make better decisions, motivate staff, and improve overall work performance.

I would be grateful if you could consider my request and allow me to participate in this valuable course.I look forward to your positive response.

Your sincerely

jones

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.5
Coherence and Cohesion7.0
Lexical Resource7.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy7.0
Overall7.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly describe the 'Management skills and Leadership training course', explain the requested support (time off and financial assistance), and provide a logical justification for how the course will benefit your job performance. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, ensuring the reader understands the purpose of the request immediately. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more specific details about the course, such as its duration or the provider, to make the request feel more concrete.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'I believe', 'I would appreciate it if', and 'This course will be' to link your sentences effectively. While the structure is sound, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat standard. To improve, you could incorporate a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases to create a more sophisticated flow between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a professional context, such as 'highly beneficial', 'professional skills', and 'financial assistance'. The language is natural and precise enough to convey your message without ambiguity. There are no significant errors in word choice. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more 'less common' lexical items or collocations that are specific to business environments, such as 'professional development', 'strategic decision-making', or 'operational efficiency', rather than relying on more general terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response displays a good command of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is generally good. There is a minor error in the closing ('Your sincerely' should be 'Yours sincerely') and a slight punctuation spacing issue ('possible ,'). However, these are minor slips that do not impede communication. Your use of modal verbs like 'would' and 'could' is appropriate for making polite requests. To improve, ensure you proofread for small typographical errors and consider using a wider variety of complex sentence structures.

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

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