Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-09

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 5.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to let you know that i want to reduce my working hours because i want to study as part time for knowledge and improve my skills.

Let me explain, i want to work here in your company from 10 to 2 PM after that i have to go for my studies by the dint of studies not only i improve my skills but also gain some knowledge which would help me for my future career.

Furthermore, if i rake part time study and i can get more experience for everything. In your company i can work more perfectly . If i studied this you can also get benefits from this as i get more knowledge and experience regarding my work which is helpful for me and you and also our company. We can easily deal with other companies through my experience which i get it by study. So at last i would request you to reduce my working hours.

Hoping to hear from you soon

Yours lovingly,

Amrit.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you explain that you want to study to improve your skills, propose working from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and describe possible benefits to the company through greater knowledge and experience. However, the reason for studying is quite general, and the benefits are repeated rather than developed with a specific example of how your new learning would help your work. The request is also not fully clear about which days or whether these hours are intended as a regular schedule. The letter is recognisably directed to your boss and ends with a request, but a more precise explanation and a clearer, more professional closing would make the purpose more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter follows a broadly sensible order: it introduces the request, gives proposed hours, explains potential benefits, and closes by asking for a change. Connectors such as “Furthermore” and “So at last” help signal movement between ideas. However, several points are crowded into long sentences, especially the sentence beginning “Let me explain,” so the relationship between the schedule and your studies is not always easy to follow. The benefits are also repeated across the final section, and “this” in “if I studied this” has an unclear reference. Separate the letter into clear paragraphs and use more precise links between each point to make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main message, including “working hours,” “part time,” “skills,” “knowledge,” and “experience.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, which sometimes makes the reader pause. For example, “by the dint of studies” does not fit the intended meaning, while “work more perfectly” and “deal with other companies through my experience” are awkward collocations. There is also a likely word-choice error in “rake part time study.” Aim for straightforward, natural workplace language and check collocations; precise phrases such as “pursue part-time studies” and “apply what I learn to my role” would express your ideas more clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas using clauses such as “because I want to study” and “which would help me,” showing some effort to use more than simple sentences. However, complex sentences are often faulty or difficult to follow. For example, “if I rake part time study and i can get more experience” has an incomplete or incorrectly formed conditional structure, and “if I studied this you can also get benefits” shifts tense and does not clearly connect its clauses. There are also recurring errors with capitalisation and sentence boundaries, including lowercase “i” and the run-on construction after “2 PM.” Use shorter, complete sentences, keep verb forms consistent, and punctuate each main idea clearly.

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

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