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 Lauren,

I am writing to inform you that recenlty I grab an opportunity to work on critical project in the head office which is located in Edinburgh for six months.

I have to join the headoffice from 7th August to work with the top departments for new application development. This inhouse recrutiment positon grab my attention, and luckily I got an offer letter after cracking intervirew process. However, before leaving I will make sure to handover all the projects and their related files with other team members,helps to not struggle to deliver any projects before deadline. Meanwhile, I am planning to leave on 15 July, so that I have enough time to pack my stuff and make myself familiar with new city.

I have already asked the IT manager to install softwares like teamviewer and other apps, to easily access any computer remotely. Additionally, I will be available as the timezone is same.

I would like you to look into this matter promptly and allow me to grab this exciting opportunity.

I will look forward to hear from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Manpreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, outlining the handover process, and asking for assistance. However, the tone is somewhat inconsistent for a formal letter to a manager. For instance, phrases like 'cracking interview process' and 'pack my stuff' are too informal. Additionally, the logic regarding the timeline is slightly confusing; you mention joining on August 7th but leaving on July 15th, which creates a gap that is not clearly explained. To improve, ensure your tone remains professional throughout and that the sequence of events is logically presented to your manager.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the request. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Additionally' and 'However' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the purpose of the visit and the logistical handover is abrupt. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression could be smoother. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the relationship between sentences is more naturally connected.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'critical project', 'application development', and 'promptly'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and informal phrasing, such as 'grab an opportunity', 'cracking interview', and 'pack my stuff'. These choices detract from the professional tone required for a formal business letter. There are also minor spelling errors like 'recenlty', 'headoffice', 'recrutiment', and 'intervirew'. Focusing on more formal collocations and proofreading for spelling will significantly improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. For example, 'I grab an opportunity' should be 'I have grabbed' or 'I have been offered'. The phrase 'helps to not struggle' is grammatically awkward and unclear. There are also issues with article usage and verb tense consistency throughout the letter. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage.

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

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