Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-04

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You work for an international company, and would like to spend six months working in its head office in another country. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter

• explain why you want to work in the company's head office for six months
• say how your work could be done while you are away
• ask for his/her help in arranging it

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 8.0)

Dear Mr. John,

I am writing to formally request the opportunity to work at the company's head office in Canada for six months. believe this experience would be highly beneficial for my professional development while allowing me to contribute more effectively to the organization.

One of the main reasons I would like to work at the head office is that it would provide me with valuable exposure to the company's international operations. I would have the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, develop advanced technical and communication skills, and gain a better understanding of the company's global strategies. I am confident that these experiences would enable me to perform my duties more efficiently upon my return.

While I am away, I can continue to handle many of my responsibilities remotely. Most of my work involves preparing reports, responding to emails, and coordinating with team members, all of which can be carried out online. For tasks that require my physical presence, I would be happy to train a colleague beforehand to ensure that daily operations continue without any disruption.

I would be grateful if you could assist me in arranging this temporary placement by discussing the possibility with the management team at the Canadian head office and guiding me through the necessary procedures. I would greatly appreciate your support and consideration.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my request. I look forward to your positive response.

Yours sincerely,

Ramneet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the professional benefits of working at the head office, propose a logical plan for handling your current workload remotely, and make a polite request for your manager's assistance. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal business request. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the opening paragraph. You have successfully covered all parts of the task with a well-structured and relevant response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which makes the letter easy to follow. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'While I am away', 'For tasks that require', and 'In addition' (implied through structure), which help connect your sentences and paragraphs smoothly. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure follows the standard conventions of a formal letter, ensuring that the reader can easily navigate your request.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context. Phrases such as 'professional development', 'valuable exposure', 'global strategies', and 'temporary placement' are used accurately and effectively. The language is natural and precise, fitting the formal tone required for a letter to a manager. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation, and the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly and with a degree of sophistication suitable for a high-band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use modal verbs effectively (e.g., 'would be highly beneficial', 'can continue to handle') and maintain consistent tense usage throughout. Punctuation is accurate, and the sentence construction is generally error-free. There is a minor slip in the first paragraph where the subject 'I' is missing before 'believe', but this is a rare, non-systematic error that does not impede communication. Overall, the control of grammar is very good.

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

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