Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-01

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/Madam,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing this letter to request reduce working hours in order to study part time.

I would like to explain my situation why I want to reduce my morking hours. Firstly, I would like to explain its hard for me to manage both personal and working life, as well I am doing study part time. Secondly, I would like to make my schedule for work which help to make life easier for work and study. Lastly, part time studies wiil helpful for employer.

Thank you for you time and consideration. I look forword to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

Manpreet chopra

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the required points. While you have attempted to address all three bullet points, the explanations are extremely brief and lack the necessary detail to be considered fully developed. For instance, you mention that your studies would benefit the employer, but you do not specify how or what skills you are gaining. To improve, you must expand on each point with specific examples or logical justifications to ensure the letter is comprehensive and meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter uses basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Lastly' to organize ideas. However, the paragraphing is underdeveloped due to the short length of the response. The logical progression is present but feels mechanical because the ideas themselves are not sufficiently extended. To achieve a higher band, ensure that each paragraph contains a clear topic sentence followed by supporting details, and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your thoughts more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is quite limited and repetitive, relying on basic phrasing such as 'explain my situation' and 'make life easier'. There are also minor errors in word choice, such as 'morking' (a spelling error) and 'doing study' (which should be 'studying'). To improve, you should aim to use more precise professional language suitable for a formal letter to a boss, such as 'professional development', 'academic commitments', or 'mutually beneficial arrangement'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains several grammatical errors that affect the flow of the text. Examples include 'request reduce working hours' (should be 'request a reduction in working hours') and 'part time studies wiil helpful' (missing a verb). The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that you include necessary articles and prepositions. Practicing more complex sentence structures, such as using relative clauses or conditional sentences, will also help increase your score.

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