Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-03

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 to request you to reduce my working hours because i have recently enrolled in a part time diploma course in project management. this course helps me improve my communication skills and better carrier .

you reduce my work time 40 hours to 30 hours. I will able to work 8 am to 2 am for monday to friday. This schedule allow me enough time to attend my classes without affecting my attendance at work. My study schedule on monday to friday in evening time.

I believe this course will also beneficial for our company. because i learning higher about how manage projects, communication skills and group work,which will helpme perform my duties more effectively. I discuss every small thing learning in my studies with my co-workers.

I would very greatful if you could accept my request.Thank you for your understanding.I look forward to your positive response.

yours sincerely

Jaswinder kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of how the course benefits the company is a bit repetitive, focusing heavily on 'communication skills' which was already mentioned in the introduction. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples of how the project management skills will be applied to your current role to demonstrate a clearer value proposition to your employer.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure of your request. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. For instance, the sentence 'I believe this course will also beneficial for our company. because i learning...' uses a full stop where a comma or conjunction is needed, creating a fragmented flow. Additionally, the transition between the request for hours and the benefits to the company could be smoother. Improving your use of linking words such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' would help create a more professional and cohesive flow throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on basic phrasing, such as 'reduce my work time' and 'help me perform my duties'. There are also some noticeable errors in word choice and form, such as 'better carrier' (likely meaning 'career') and 'I learning higher about how manage projects'. These errors occasionally distract the reader. To improve, focus on using more precise professional terminology related to work and study, and ensure you are using the correct word forms (e.g., 'career' instead of 'carrier', 'learning more' instead of 'learning higher').

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentences, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the overall quality. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'in evening time'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'I will able to work'), and punctuation errors, such as the lack of capitalization for 'i' and the start of sentences. The sentence structure is often simplistic, and the errors in subject-verb agreement and tense usage are persistent. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for capitalization and punctuation would significantly improve the clarity and professionalism of your writing.

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