Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-15

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 Mr. Smith,

I am writing to ask if it would be possible for me to spend six months working at our company's head office in Australia.

I would like to work there because I believe it would be a valuable opportunity for my career. I could learn new working methods, gain experience from senior employees, and understand how the head office manages different projects. I am confident that these skills would also help me perform better when I return to my current office.

While I am away, my regular work could be handle by my colleague, who is familiar with most of my tasks. I would also remain available by email and video calls if my team needed any assistance. Before leaving, I would prepare detailed notes and explain my work to my colleague to ensure a smooth transition.

I would be grateful if you could help me discuss this opportunity with the head office and arrange the necessary approval and accommodation. I would really appreciate your support in marking this possible.

Yours sincerely,

Max Williams.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain the motivation for the transfer, provide a practical solution for your current workload, and make a polite request for assistance. The tone is appropriate for a professional letter to a manager. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear purpose throughout the letter. The structure is logical and follows the standard conventions of a formal request letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-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 cohesive devices effectively, such as 'While I am away' and 'Before leaving', to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the transition between the explanation of the request and the call to action is smooth. The overall flow is natural and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context, such as 'valuable opportunity', 'smooth transition', and 'necessary approval'. The language is precise and fits the formal tone required for this task. While the vocabulary is accurate and functional, it could be slightly more sophisticated to reach the highest band. For example, instead of 'help me discuss', you could use 'facilitate a discussion'. Overall, the lexical resource is sufficient and error-free.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The grammar is generally accurate, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use modal verbs correctly ('would like', 'could learn', 'would be grateful'). There is one minor error in the third paragraph: 'my regular work could be handle' should be 'could be handled'. Aside from this, the majority of sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly throughout the letter. The control of complex structures is consistent.

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

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