Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-10-28
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 Bredain,
I am writing this letter, to express my interest in working in our north eastern companies headquarter for six months that is from this october month till mid of april.
As our company is launching new software very soon, we hand to train the eployees to have hands on experience in it. Me being the project manager of the project willing to lead this project. Also, I have talked with my colleage he will be doing work at my place. This will also help company progress.
Acknowledge for your ratification and arrange for my transfer.
Your sincerely,
Priyanka Tiwari
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You identify a relevant reason for the request: the company is launching software and you want to lead staff training at the head office. You also mention that a colleague could cover your work and ask your manager to arrange a transfer. However, the explanation of why six months at the head office is beneficial is brief, and the cover plan lacks practical detail about how duties would be handed over or managed. The request for help is also very abrupt. The response contains 101 words, so it does not meet the required minimum of 150; this leaves the task only partially addressed and the ideas under-developed. Add specific benefits, a clearer work-cover plan, and a polite, detailed request.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The letter has a recognisable sequence: you state your purpose, give a reason, mention a colleague who could cover your work, and make a request. This gives the reader a basic sense of the message. However, the progression is compressed, and the second paragraph moves quickly from the software launch to your role and then to the colleague’s cover without explaining the links between these points. The final request is isolated rather than developed as a natural conclusion. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs for your motivation, the proposed work arrangements, and the request for assistance. Linking phrases such as “In addition” or “To ensure continuity” would make the relationships between ideas clearer.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “headquarters,” “project manager,” “hands on experience,” and “transfer,” so the main topic is generally understandable. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “companies headquarter,” “Acknowledge for your ratification,” and “at my place.” There are also spelling errors in “employees” and “colleague,” which reduce the accuracy of the message. The range is limited, with little vocabulary for explaining the benefits of the placement or describing a practical handover. Aim for standard professional expressions, for example, “request your approval,” “cover my responsibilities,” and “gain practical experience.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
The response communicates its basic purpose, and you attempt a longer sentence to explain the software launch and your role. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and several sentences contain frequent grammatical errors that make the message less clear. For example, “I am writing this letter, to express” has unnecessary punctuation, while “Me being the project manager of the project willing to lead this project” is not a complete, well-formed sentence. The opening also needs more accurate article, possessive, and time expressions. Practise writing complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, and check verb forms, articles, and punctuation. For instance: “As the project manager, I would be willing to lead the training.”
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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