Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-11

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 6.5)

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to formally request permission to take a training course which will help me to gain valuable experience and be beneficial for future opportunities.

I have considered all my responsibilities before making this request, and the course is for three months which is laboratory training course abroad, and it provides both academic knowledge and extensive hands-on experience. Although, I am working at a high position currently, this course will help me to become outstanding leader in my own field and may be I can open my own company in future.

I would be grateful if you could arrange all the necessary documents that may be required to sign in advance before my absense. Additionally, I have discussed my ongoing projects with my colleague, Sarah Williams, who has kindly agreed to assist in any matters that may require attention during this period.

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

Yours faithfully,

Ashu Berwal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You described the course as a three-month laboratory training program abroad, explained that you need the company to arrange necessary documentation, and stated how it will benefit your professional development. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention the course will help you become an 'outstanding leader,' you could have provided more specific details on how the laboratory skills directly translate to your current daily tasks. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager, and the purpose is clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the request, the details of the course, and the administrative requirements. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'Although' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences could be improved; some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a coherent response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'formally request,' 'responsibilities,' and 'extensive hands-on experience.' There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'sign in advance' (which is slightly unnatural in this context) and 'absense' (spelling error). While you attempt to use more sophisticated language, the vocabulary is generally functional rather than precise. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more topic-specific collocations related to professional training and corporate communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'the course is for three months which is laboratory training course' (missing articles and awkward phrasing) and 'may be I can open' (should be 'maybe'). Additionally, there is a punctuation error with 'Although, I am working...' where the comma is unnecessary. Despite these errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the majority of your sentences are clear and understandable. Increasing the variety of complex structures while focusing on subject-verb agreement will help improve your score.

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

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