Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-06

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 Sir,

I hope you're doing well, I would like to request permission to spend six months working in another country head office.

I think this opportunities is very beneficial for my future career and want to grab it. I want to work in the company's head office for six months helps to know the better understanding of the company's international operations. I can learn more from my collegues and seniors, and develop better communication and managerial skills. I believe that this experience contribute to our team when I return.

My work doesn't affect while I was far. I will be connected to colleges, meetings and complete my task . I will handover some of my responsibilities to my collegues so that urgent work goes smoothly.

I hope you'll help me in this case to uplift on my career. I look forward to hearing a positive response from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Radhika

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the main purpose of the letter and covers all three bullet points, but the length requirement was not met as the student's response contains 142 words, falling short of the 150-word minimum (with 11 words copied from the task prompt excluded). While the reasons for wanting to work in the head office and the request for help are presented, the ideas are somewhat limited and under-developed. For instance, the explanation of how work will be managed while away ("My work doesn't affect while I was far") lacks specific detail. To reach a higher band, the writer needs to fully meet the minimum word count and extend their explanations with greater depth and clarity.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the content into logical paragraphs for each part of the prompt. However, cohesion is sometimes faulty or mechanical, as seen in repetitive referencing and abrupt transitions between sentences, such as "I think this opportunities is very beneficial for my future career and want to grab it." Paragraphing is used, but the grouping of ideas could be more natural. To progress to the next level, the writer needs to use a wider and more flexible range of cohesive devices to create a smoother, more logical progression throughout the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for the task, with noticeable errors in word form and choice that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. Examples include "this opportunities" (plural/singular mismatch), "country head office" instead of overseas branch, and spelling or word-form slips like "collegues." The writer relies on basic and repetitive vocabulary items such as "work" and "help." To achieve a higher score, the student must expand their lexical range, demonstrate more precision in word choice and collocation, and ensure correct word forms and spelling.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The text displays a limited range of structures, relying mostly on simple sentences with frequent errors when attempting more complex constructions. There are noticeable issues with verb tenses, agreements, and prepositions, such as "six months helps to know the better understanding" and "My work doesn't affect while I was far." Punctuation errors also occur, such as comma splices in the opening sentence. These frequent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader. To improve, the writer should practice forming accurate complex sentences and refine their control over basic grammar patterns and verb forms.

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

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