Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-04

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 the opportunity to spend six months working at our company’s head office in another country. I believe this experience would be highly beneficial for my professional development and would also allow me to gain a deeper understanding of the company’s international operations.

Working at the head office would give me the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from different departments and learn how our international teams manage projects and make strategic decisions. I am particularly interested in gaining experience that I could eventually apply to my current role and share with my colleagues when I return.

During my absence, I would ensure that my current responsibilities continue without disruption. Most of my regular tasks could be completed remotely, and I could maintain communication with my team through email, video conferences and the company’s online systems. For any duties that require someone to be physically present, I would be happy to prepare detailed instructions and arrange for a colleague to handle them temporarily.

I would greatly appreciate your assistance in arranging this temporary transfer. Could you please advise me on the appropriate procedure and let me know whether you could discuss this possibility with the head office management?

Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Amanat Kaur

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 logical plan for managing your current workload through remote work and delegation, 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 the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, meeting all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear logical progression. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the request to the rationale, the implementation plan, and finally the call to action. Cohesive devices such as 'During my absence', 'Most of my regular tasks', and 'For any duties' are used effectively to guide the reader through your plan. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the message.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context. Phrases like 'professional development', 'strategic decisions', and 'temporary transfer' are used accurately. The language is natural and precise throughout the letter. While the vocabulary is sufficient and fits the task well, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic professional expressions could elevate the response further, though the current level is already quite strong for this task type.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The grammar is highly accurate with a variety of complex sentence structures used correctly. You successfully employ conditional structures ('If I were to...') or modal verbs ('would ensure', 'could be completed') to express hypothetical plans and requests. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of control over English syntax.

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

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