Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-01
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 6.5)
Dear Mr. Smith,
Hello, how are you? I am writing this letter to request permission to work at our company head office in the Uk for six month.
I went to work there at the head office because I wish to learn new international construction techniques and modern site management skills. This valiable experience will help me improve my work quality and bring new ideas to our local team.
While I am away, my current project duties can be handled by my assistant, Jaspreet. I have already explained the daily workflow to him, and he is fully capable of managing the crew. I will also be available online by email for any urgent decisions.
I would be very grateful if you could help me to talk the HR department and approve my transfer request.
Thank you for your support. I look forward to hearing you from soon.
Yours sincerely,
Harvinder
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explain the motivation for the transfer (learning construction techniques), describe the delegation plan (Jaspreet handling duties), and include a request for assistance with HR. The tone is appropriate for a formal business letter. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of ideas is slightly more detailed; for instance, you could briefly elaborate on how your absence might benefit the company beyond just 'new ideas'. However, the response is fully functional and meets all requirements of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which makes the letter easy to follow. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'While I am away' and 'I will also be' to link ideas effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. To improve, you could incorporate a wider range of cohesive devices to connect sentences more fluidly, as some transitions currently feel slightly mechanical. Overall, the structure is logical and supports the message well.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'international construction techniques' and 'transfer request' are relevant and accurate. There are a few minor errors, such as 'valiable' (spelling) and 'hearing you from soon' (collocation/grammar). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it remains somewhat basic. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise, professional collocations and ensure spelling accuracy. The current range is sufficient for the task but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing this letter to request...' and 'While I am away, my current project duties can be handled...'. Most sentences are clear, though there are some grammatical slips, such as 'I went to work there' (should be 'I want to work there') and 'talk the HR department' (should be 'talk to the HR department'). These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a need for more careful proofreading. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences would help improve this score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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