Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-11

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 Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to request you for spend my working six months in our head office in another country.

I want to work there for learn new skills and gain work experience for better future in our company. In our head office I am going to assist my senior and learn how to solve quarries in work and how to expend our business. Moreover, working experience people makes me more confident and independent.

I want to tell you that my work won't be stop here. I complete all my pending works and also guide my team for upcoming tasks. And if you want, I also arrange a substitute of mine if needed.

It would be great full if you are arranging this for me. If I got This opportunity, you won't disappoint by my work and your decision.

Your Sincerely,

Farhin Shaikh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the plan for current work, and the request for assistance. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the overall score. The ideas are relevant but somewhat underdeveloped; for instance, the explanation of how work will be managed is vague, relying on general statements like 'I complete all my pending works' rather than specific professional strategies. To improve, you should expand on your professional goals and provide a more concrete plan for your current responsibilities to demonstrate a higher level of professional maturity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'And if you want' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel abrupt. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas could be smoother. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus that connects naturally to the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several word-choice errors, such as 'working experience people' instead of 'experienced colleagues' and 'great full' instead of 'grateful'. The phrase 'solve quarries' is likely a misspelling of 'queries'. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited to basic, everyday language. To improve, try to incorporate more professional collocations and ensure accurate spelling of common business terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'request you for spend' (should be 'request to spend'), 'my work won't be stop' (should be 'won't stop'), and 'you won't disappoint by my work' (should be 'you won't be disappointed'). These errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader, though they do not fully impede communication. Increasing your control over verb tenses and passive voice constructions will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.