Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-05

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 Sir,

I want to inform you that I am studying master's degree and my upcoming term will start from the next week. I know it will affect my working hours but I also have to focus on my study.

Furthermore, from the next week I will be available just two days because I have a college for other five days. I think part time study is more important to your company because I am studying about how to manage business at a small scale so it will also help to grow you business and also it will be helpful in my upcoming life at all area. So I request you to reduce my working hours from the next week and I am apologize for that

Yours faithfull

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the specific hours desired, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited. The explanation of how the studies benefit the employer is vague, and the letter fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the depth of the response. To improve, you should expand on the specific skills you are learning and how they can be applied to your current role to provide more value to your boss.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. While there is an attempt to use cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'So', the transitions feel mechanical. The overall structure is simple, and the lack of sufficient length makes the flow feel abrupt. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph develops a single, clear idea before moving to the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'I want to inform you' and 'it will be helpful' are functional but lack the sophistication expected at higher bands. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'I am apologize' (should be 'I apologize') and 'grow you business' (should be 'grow your business'). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise professional terminology related to business management and study, and ensure you use the correct grammatical forms of the words you choose.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that hinder the flow, such as 'I am studying master's degree' (missing article 'a'), 'I have a college' (incorrect usage), and the incorrect sign-off 'Yours faithfull' (should be 'Yours faithfully'). While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors and the lack of complex sentence structures limit the score. You should practice using a mix of complex sentences and pay closer attention to basic subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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