Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

Dear Manager,

I am writing to request permission to spend six months working at our company’s head office in another country. I believe this experience would be extremely valuable for my professional development. It would give me the opportunity to learn more about the company’s international operations, improve my communication skills, and work closely with experienced colleagues from different departments.

I am confident that my current responsibilities could be managed while I am away. Most of my work can be completed online, and I could attend meetings through video calls, respond to emails, prepare reports, and communicate regularly with my team. For duties that require my presence in the office, I could train a colleague to handle them temporarily.

I would be very grateful for your assistance in arranging this opportunity. Could you please advise me about the necessary procedures and discuss the possibility with the head office?

Thank you for considering my request.

Yours sincerely,

Keith

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain the motivation for the transfer, provide a logical plan for managing your current workload, and include a polite request for assistance. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, ensuring the reader understands both the 'why' and the 'how' of your request. The structure is logical and follows the conventions of a formal business letter, meeting all requirements of the task effectively.

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 information easy to follow. You use appropriate cohesive devices such as 'I am confident that', 'For duties that', and 'In addition' (implied through logical flow). The transition between the request for the transfer and the plan for workload management is smooth. The paragraphing is logical, and the opening and closing salutations are correct for a formal letter, contributing to a coherent and professional piece of writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context. Phrases such as 'professional development', 'international operations', and 'necessary procedures' are used accurately. The language is precise and fits the formal tone required for this task. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it stays within a standard professional register. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated collocations or nuanced expressions to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control, though the current usage is entirely sufficient for clear and effective communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The writing is grammatically accurate, with a variety of sentence structures used throughout. You successfully employ complex sentences, such as 'I am confident that my current responsibilities could be managed while I am away' and 'For duties that require my presence in the office, I could train a colleague to handle them temporarily.' Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant errors that impede meaning. The control over verb tenses and modal verbs (e.g., 'could', 'would') is consistent and appropriate for a request letter.

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.