Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-07
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 5.5)
Dear Manager,
I am writing this letter to request a transfer to the head office in India. I have been with company since 2017 and I want to see how the head office functions from a different country. I want to go for six months in our pick time from December to May.
It will provide me with the experience of manufactural side of the medicine along with data analysis and formulation trails which are done at the head office. During the duration I mentioned our CEOs and directors are visiting India's branch these year. This is the best opportunity to learn. Additionally my family lives in Mumbai where we have our branch so, I can use this time and spend it with my family.
While I will be away, Mr. Yung can take after my work responsibilities as I have been shadowing him since past two months therefore he is the perfect candidate.
I hope you help in arranging the transfer and creating a position by getting in touch with the superiors. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Krupa.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
You have addressed all three bullet points of the task effectively. You explained your motivation for the transfer, proposed a clear solution for your current workload by suggesting Mr. Yung, and requested assistance in facilitating the move. The tone is appropriate for a formal business letter. However, the development of your ideas could be more professional; for instance, mentioning that you want to spend time with your family in Mumbai is a personal reason that might be better kept secondary to the professional benefits of the transfer. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the requirements are fully met.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter follows a logical structure with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'While I will be away' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between your professional goals and your personal family reasons is a bit abrupt. Using more varied linking words or phrases would improve the overall cohesion and help the text feel more natural and professional.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'transfer', 'responsibilities', and 'shadowing'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'manufactural side' (should be 'manufacturing side') and 'pick time' (should be 'peak time'). Additionally, 'formulation trails' is likely a misuse of 'trials'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate that your control over more specific professional terminology is still developing. Expanding your vocabulary to include more precise business collocations would enhance your writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'with company' (missing 'the'), 'visiting India's branch these year' (should be 'this year'), and 'I hope you help' (should be 'I hope you can help'). The phrase 'since past two months' is also incorrect; it should be 'for the past two months'. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To reach a higher band, focus on consistent use of articles, correct preposition usage, and subject-verb agreement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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