Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-06

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 hope your are doing well, i am working in your company since 2023. i am writing a letter for you because i start my part time study and its very important for my job. please reduce my working hour . my class time is morning time 8.00 am to 12.00 pm.

so i request to you please change my shift from 2.00pm to 57 .00 pm . my this study is very useful to the company because my all studies related to my work its very useful for the company . i am working in the design section and i start my study is auto cad ,it is very useful designing department . so i humble requested to you please change my working time and reduce my working hour my this course is 6 month but i have no option to leave the job and start study please you read my letter

Thanks

Rajwinder singh

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed 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. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited. For instance, while you mention that your studies in AutoCAD are useful, you could have provided more specific details on how this would improve your daily tasks or productivity. The tone is somewhat informal and repetitive, which impacts the professional quality of the letter. To improve, ensure that each point is expanded with more depth and that the tone remains consistently formal throughout the correspondence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter lacks clear paragraphing, which makes it difficult to follow the logical progression of your request. You have used some basic cohesive devices like 'so' and 'because', but these are often repetitive and used to link simple clauses rather than creating a smooth flow of ideas. There is no clear introduction or conclusion structure, and the transition between your request for reduced hours and the explanation of your studies is abrupt. To achieve a higher band, you should organize your letter into distinct paragraphs: one for the request, one for the details of the hours, and one for the benefits to the company.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive. You frequently use the word 'useful' and 'company' throughout the text, which limits the range of your expression. There are also errors in word choice and phrasing, such as 'my this study' and 'I humble requested'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of variety and the reliance on simple, everyday language prevent you from demonstrating a wider range of vocabulary. To improve, try to use more precise professional terminology related to your field and avoid repeating the same adjectives in every sentence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the letter, including issues with subject-verb agreement ('i hope your are doing well'), tense usage ('i am working in your company since 2023'), and punctuation. You rely almost exclusively on simple sentences, and there is a lack of complex structures. The capitalization is also inconsistent, with 'i' frequently written in lowercase. These errors are persistent and occasionally make the text difficult to read. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring proper capitalization, and practicing the use of complex sentences to connect your ideas more effectively.

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

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