Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Dear Sir,
I hope life treats you well. I have a request to you regarding my working hours. I have made a plan to pursue my further study but, i am not able to do a full-time job.
I am taking admission in UCW to continue my master's degree. my classes will be in the evening. Due to this, can you please reduce my working hours. My classes start from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, so I can do work only before this time
Apart from this, I have only three days to do work, which are Monday to Thursday. Except for these, I have morning classes.
Thank you
Gurpreet kaur
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the development of the required points. While you addressed the purpose of the letter and the requested hours, the explanation of how your studies would benefit the employer is underdeveloped and lacks detail. To improve, you must expand on your ideas; for example, explain how the specific skills gained from your master's degree could be applied to your current role to increase productivity or efficiency. The current length is insufficient to fully address all parts of the task prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The letter is brief and lacks a clear structure. While there is a basic attempt at paragraphing, the transitions between ideas are abrupt. You use some basic cohesive devices, but the overall flow is disjointed. To improve, ensure you use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition') to connect your sentences and paragraphs more logically. The lack of a formal closing also affects the overall coherence and professional tone expected in a formal letter.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is functional but limited. You rely on simple, repetitive phrases such as 'do work' and 'have a request'. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise professional vocabulary related to employment and academic study. For instance, instead of saying 'I have a request', you could use 'I am writing to formally request a modification to my working schedule'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains several grammatical errors, such as 'I have a request to you' (should be 'of you'), 'I am taking admission' (should be 'I have been admitted'), and 'i am not able' (capitalization error). The sentence structures are predominantly simple, with limited use of complex sentences. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and varying your sentence structure by using subordinating conjunctions to combine ideas more effectively.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.