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 Sir or Madam,
I am writting this letter to tell you that I want to work in the head office of overseas for next six month.Moreover,I want to add more experience to my resume so I can apply for senior position next year.
Let me give you more details.Actually,I am thinking about to work online in the night for you So that I would manage here and there equally.I also get some time to submit the work on new projects timely.In addition, my seniors will also help to prepare the presentation that I can show in the office meetings and be wise to my job.
Would you kindly give your refrence to show in the head office to senior managers. It will help me to get in the good books of the office.To be honestly, Its going to be a huge favour from your side.
Thank you for your consideration,
Yours faithfully,
Gagan,
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You address the main purpose by explaining that you want overseas head-office experience to strengthen your résumé and support an application for a senior position. You also suggest working online at night and mention help with presentations, so the reader can see an initial plan. However, the arrangements are not sufficiently clear: “manage here and there equally” does not explain how your duties would be covered, and the request for a “refrence” is vague rather than asking your manager to help arrange the six-month placement. Develop the practical benefits and responsibilities, and make a direct, specific request for support. This would make all parts of the task more fully addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The letter has a recognisable structure: it introduces the request, gives details about working remotely, and ends by asking for assistance. Paragraphs and linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “In addition,” and “To be honestly” help signal movement between points. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear, and the progression of the proposal is difficult to follow. For example, the relationship between working online at night, managing “here and there,” and attending office meetings is not explained. The final request also shifts abruptly to asking for a reference. Use clearer links between the reason, proposed work arrangements, and the specific help you need, and ensure each paragraph develops one connected point.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use some relevant workplace vocabulary, including “head office,” “senior position,” “new projects,” and “presentation,” which helps communicate the general situation. There are also attempts at more formal expressions, such as “Thank you for your consideration.” However, several inaccurate or unnatural choices make parts of the message unclear, including “work in the head office of overseas,” “get in the good books of the office,” and “be wise to my job.” Spelling errors such as “writting” and “refrence” also reduce accuracy. Choose more precise professional phrases and check spelling; for example, explain that the placement would broaden your experience and that you would remain responsible for specified duties.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a purpose clause in “so I can apply for senior position next year” and a clause beginning “so that.” This shows some range, but control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make the intended meaning difficult to follow. Examples include “I am thinking about to work,” where the verb pattern is faulty, and “for next six month,” which has article and plural problems. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also unreliable: several sentences run together after full stops, and “So” is capitalised mid-sentence. Practise accurate verb patterns, articles, plurals, and sentence punctuation, then proofread each sentence for a clear subject and complete structure.
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