Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-10

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 6.0)

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing to formally request a period of time off from work as I am thinking of spending six months working in the head office of our company in USA. I understanf the importance of my role at Suncor and the responsibilties that come with it, and I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition during my absence.

As an accountant in our company, I would like to acquire more skills and want to gain knowledge about how the head office company works. I anticipate needing six months off from November to May to explore and gain experience in working with new employees and in different work environment.

During my absence, I will do my utmost to ensure that my work responsibilities are managed efficiently. I am willing to work with my colleagues to delegate tasks and responsibilities, and I will ensure that all pending projects are well-documented and accessible to the team. If neccessary, I am also available to provide guidance online or assist in any possible way to ensure smooth operationof our department.

I will remain accessible during my time of and can be reached via email or phone for any urgent matters that require my attention. In my absence, please feel free to contact Ravneet kaur for any work-related queries or concerns.

I will be grateful if you assist me in arranging my way to another company. If you could help me in booking my flight from my salary. Thankyou for understanding.

Yours faithfully,

Mehakpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you explain that you want to develop your accounting skills and learn how the head office operates, describe how colleagues could take over documented work, and ask your manager for assistance. However, the purpose is not always clearly framed: “a period of time off from work” suggests leave, whereas the task is to work at the head office. The proposed dates are also unclear (“from November to May”), and the request for help focuses on booking a flight rather than arranging the transfer or discussing approval. Develop the professional benefits of the placement and make a specific, appropriate request for your manager’s support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement, with separate paragraphs for your reason, work coverage, and request, and the reader can follow its main message. Linking phrases such as “During my absence” and “In my absence” help signal the sequence. Some cohesion is repetitive, however, because absence is discussed in two consecutive paragraphs, and the final paragraph moves abruptly from arranging the placement to asking for a flight to be booked. The reference to “Ravneet kaur” is understandable but could be integrated more smoothly with the handover plan. Combine related coverage details and use the closing paragraph to make a focused request for approval and practical guidance.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a suitable range of workplace vocabulary, including “delegate tasks,” “pending projects,” “accessible,” and “work-related queries,” which communicates the handover plan. Some choices are imprecise or unnatural for this situation: “time off” does not convey a temporary placement at the head office, and “arranging my way to another company” incorrectly suggests a different employer. There are also spelling errors, including “understanf,” “responsibilties,” and “neccessary,” as well as the joined form “operationof.” These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce accuracy and polish. Choose precise terms such as “temporary assignment” and “arrange the placement,” and proofread spelling and spacing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, and several sentences are controlled, such as “I am willing to work with my colleagues to delegate tasks and responsibilities.” Most of the message remains understandable, though some grammatical patterns are inaccurate. In “I will remain accessible during my time of,” the phrase is incomplete; “during my time away” would be complete. “If you could help me in booking my flight from my salary” is also awkwardly constructed and lacks a clear request structure. The sentence beginning “I anticipate needing six months off” could state the dates more clearly, for example, “I would like to undertake the placement from November to May.” Review prepositions and complete sentence patterns, especially in the request.

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

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