Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You would like to reduce your working hours in order to study part time.

Write a letter to your boss. In your letter

• explain why you want to reduce your working hours
• say which hours you would like to work
• describe how your part-time studies would benefit your employer

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ....................................,

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Dear Mr Smith,

Hello, good day!

I am happy and thankful for this opportunity to work at your company. Having a job and working with the best effort and motivation in your company because you value and see value in your workers in which you give us some tokens or surprises to boost our motivation in working. I sincerly appriciate that you noticed our effort. Months of working I don't see or experience any negative as I grow in this company, but an additional working hours because of the reson the company is growing, which we understood because you have explained this during the office meeting.

I am writing to ask for a consideration in reducing my working hours. The expected duty hour of mine was 8 hrs per day, but when the work time adjustment happend, it became 10 hrs per day. The reason I ask for consideration in reducing my working hours it is because the transportation from work place to my house will took 1 hour and 30 minutes and when I came home there's only a few time for me to prepare myself and as well as my sleeping time since I am expected to be clock in at work exactly 7 am. If you consider to reduce my working hours from 10 hrs to 8 hrs per day, I can be on the house, able to prepare myself and have enough sleep. Having enough sleep would really help me working my mind properly in doing my tasks efficiently. As a result I believe by doing this I can help improve your company. With this, I hope you can consider in reducing my working hours Mr. Smith.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The letter explains that you want to study part time and gives a reason for reducing your hours: the long commute leaves little time to prepare for work or sleep. It also requests a change from ten hours to eight. However, the requested working schedule is not fully specified: you mention starting at 7 a.m., but do not state the hours or finish time you would like to work. The benefit to your employer is only briefly asserted through “help improve your company” and working more efficiently; explain more directly how your studies will build skills relevant to your role. The opening praise and details about workplace rewards take up space without advancing the request, so the task is addressed only partially and the key points need clearer development.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: appreciation, explanation of the request, and a concluding appeal. Paragraphing helps separate the opening from the main request, and phrases such as “The reason” and “As a result” signal relationships between ideas. However, the first paragraph is difficult to follow because several thoughts are joined in a long, incomplete sentence, and the transition from praise to the request is abrupt. The central paragraph also repeats the request and its benefits rather than progressing through a clear schedule and employer benefit. Organise the letter into focused paragraphs—reason, proposed hours, and benefit—and use linking phrases only where they clarify the relationship between points.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant workplace and study vocabulary, including “working hours,” “transportation,” “efficiently,” and “motivation,” so the main situation is understandable. However, the range is limited and several choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “tokens or surprises,” “clock in at work,” and “I can be on the house.” Spelling errors in “sincerly,” “appriciate,” “happend,” and “reson” are noticeable and reduce the impression of control. Aim for precise, natural phrases suited to a formal request, such as “recognition,” “commute,” and “be home.” Check spelling carefully and avoid repeating “consideration” and “working hours” when a more specific expression is available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts longer sentences and subordinate clauses, for example when explaining how the commute affects preparation and sleep. However, these complex attempts are often faulty, and sentence structures are frequently incomplete or difficult to control. “Having a job and working with the best effort…” is not a complete sentence, while “the transportation … will took” combines incompatible verb forms. Other examples include “when I came home there's only a few time” and “The reason I ask … it is because,” which show problems with tense, agreement, and clause construction. These errors sometimes make the reader work to understand the message. Build accuracy with shorter complete sentences first, then practise joining them with correctly formed clauses and consistent verb tenses.

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

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