Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-14

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 7.5)

Dear Ms. Higgins,

I am writing to formally express my interest in working at our head office in London for a six-month period starting early next year.

Working directly alongside our global strategy team would allow me to gain a deeper understanding of our international operations, align our regional processes with headquarters, and develop cross-market skills that will ultimately benefit our department upon my return.

During my time abroad, I can easily manage my current responsibilities through remote work tools and flexible hours to accommodate time zone differences. For tasks requiring an on-site presence, I have already discussed cross-training with Sarah, who is willing to cover my local duties during this transition.

I would be extremely grateful if you could help facilitate this transfer by discussing the opportunity with HR and approving the initial proposal.

Thank you very much for your continuous guidance and support.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: explaining the motivation for the transfer, outlining a plan for current responsibilities, and requesting assistance. The tone is professional and appropriate for a formal business letter. However, the response is 145 words long, failing to meet the 150-word minimum requirement. This under-length significantly impacts the task achievement score, as the development of ideas is slightly constrained by the brevity. To improve, ensure that each point is expanded with slightly more detail to comfortably exceed the word count threshold.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which aids readability. Cohesive devices such as 'During my time abroad' and 'For tasks requiring' are used effectively to link ideas. The progression of information is smooth and easy to follow. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure is coherent. No major issues were noted in this area.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is precise and well-suited to a professional context. Phrases like 'formally express my interest', 'align our regional processes', and 'facilitate this transfer' demonstrate a good command of business-appropriate language. The range is sufficient for the task, and there are no noticeable errors in word choice or collocation. While the vocabulary is accurate and professional, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more sophisticated synonyms to demonstrate a wider range of lexical flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. The sentence structures are varied, incorporating both simple and complex sentences effectively, such as the use of participial phrases ('Working directly alongside...') and conditional structures. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The control over complex structures is consistent, and the writing is largely error-free, which is characteristic of a high band score in this criterion.

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

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