Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-28

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 5.0)

Dear sir,

As you know I am working with this organisation since last 20 years.As you know my job is more based on experimental research as well as I deal with some data base.

Their is a training offered in head office of our company in New York.

They have hired very intellectual coaches to trand us. There will be also modern machinery.

I will also handle my tasks of this office online.I promise I will acquire myself when you need.My absence won't effect my work.I will manage it.

I just need some recommendations and letters from my current office.As you are my head please help me get it.I also have my GP fund which I have to withdraw. I hope you wouldn't disappoint me.

Looking forward

Rahila Kamil

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points, but the development is insufficient. The explanation of why you want to work in the head office is brief, and the plan for handling your current workload is vague. Furthermore, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the overall task achievement. To improve, you should expand on the specific benefits of the training in New York and provide a more detailed, professional strategy for how your current responsibilities will be managed remotely. The tone is also slightly informal for a formal request to a manager.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is somewhat disjointed. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link sentences and ideas smoothly. For example, the transition between discussing your current role and the training opportunity is abrupt. The use of referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall structure feels mechanical. To improve, use linking words such as 'furthermore,' 'consequently,' or 'in addition' to connect your thoughts and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that progresses logically toward your request.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive. You rely on basic phrasing, such as 'I am working' and 'I will manage it.' There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'acquire myself' (which is unclear) and 'trand us' (a spelling error). The phrase 'intellectual coaches' is also slightly unnatural in this context. To reach a higher band, aim to use more precise professional terminology related to your field and the request process, and ensure that your word choices are appropriate for a formal business letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including tense usage ('I am working... since last 20 years' should be 'I have been working... for the last 20 years'), spelling errors ('Their' instead of 'There'), and punctuation issues. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. The errors occasionally impede the clarity of your message, such as the sentence 'I promise I will acquire myself when you need.' To improve, focus on mastering present perfect tense for duration and proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and spelling.

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