Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-09-19

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 5.5)

Dear Manager,

I hope you are doing well.

The reason why I am writting this letter is that I would like to work in the company's head office in New York for six months.

I have two children, and my younger child is suffering from a lung infection. We have consulted doctors at several hospitals here, but my child is not recovered.

I contacted them, and they informed me about, a six months treatment plan at the hospital in New York.I was worried since I am working for a company. I would not be able to take six months leave.

However, our company is an international company that allows us to work anywhere in the world. Therefore I thought of asking whether a temporary transfer be possible.If you grant me permission to to work in the company’s head office for six months, that would really help me.

I hope this letter finds you well, Awaiting for you response.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully

Dilshad Shaik

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all three bullet points required by the task prompt. The writer successfully explains why they want to work in the New York head office, mentioning the child's medical treatment plan. The proposal for how work could be done is addressed through the mention of the company's international nature and temporary transfer. Finally, the writer explicitly asks for help by requesting permission and assistance in arranging it. Although the explanation is somewhat narrative-driven and personal, the ideas are sufficiently developed and relevant to a General Training task. The tone is appropriate for a letter to a manager. Overall, the task is adequately fulfilled, corresponding to a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter has a clear overall structure with an opening and a sign-off, although the paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, with many very short, single-sentence paragraphs. For instance, sentences like 'I hope you are doing well.' and 'Thank you.' form their own lines, which disrupts the natural flow of a professional letter. Cohesive devices are used simply (e.g., 'However', 'Therefore'), but referencing is occasionally repetitive. While the logical progression from stating the problem to making the request is understandable, the frequent paragraph breaks and basic linking mean it does not fully achieve a Band 7. It meets the criteria for Band 6 through its coherent overall arrangement, despite mechanical cohesion in places.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The writer uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating personal circumstances and professional requests. Words and phrases such as 'international company', 'temporary transfer', and 'treatment plan' are used appropriately. However, there are some noticeable slips in word choice and spelling, such as 'writting' instead of 'writing', and 'not recovered' instead of 'has not recovered'. The range is somewhat limited and relies on basic terms, which prevents it from reaching a higher band. Nevertheless, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without impeding the reader's understanding, fitting a Band 6 profile well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'The reason why I am writting this letter is that I would like to work...' and 'If you grant me permission to work in the company’s head office for six months, that would really help me.' There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips present, including a spelling error in 'writting', a missing space after a comma ('New York.I'), and an accidental repetition ('permission to to work'). Despite these errors, the complex structures attempted are generally understandable and do not impede communication. The control of grammar aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor where a mix of structures is used alongside some persistent errors.

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

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