Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-07

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 you are fine .Can please consider regarding a reduction of working hours in order to study part time.

I just want to start a part time study regarding BA English for my future growth . it will only takes up to 2 to 3 hours in a day. and they are providing this near to our shop so i will be really benefits for me.

It will be good for me .if my working hours reduce to 5 to 6 hours so i can work in evening shift and it can be great use for the better concentration in my studies.

my studies can helps in the development of the store through many ways such as i can attract the foreign through my english proficiency and explaining them regarding store. It enhances the further development of store .

i would appreciate, if you consider my request and reduce the working hour for my study.

yours faithfully

Roshny Roy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You explain the reason for the request (BA English studies), specify the desired hours (5 to 6 hours), and describe the benefit to the employer (improving communication with foreign customers). However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the explanation of how your studies benefit the store is a bit vague. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are more fully extended and supported with clearer, more professional reasoning. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a boss, though it could be more polished.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your request. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the benefits of your study and the request for reduced hours is abrupt. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures, which makes the flow feel somewhat disjointed. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition to this') to connect your ideas more smoothly and create a more professional, cohesive tone throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your request clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'English proficiency' and 'development of the store'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'they are providing this near to our shop' and 'it can be great use for the better concentration'. These errors do not prevent understanding, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To improve, focus on learning common collocations and more formal business terminology to express your needs more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You use a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'it will only takes', 'my studies can helps'), missing articles, and punctuation errors. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall fluency of the letter. To reach a higher band, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your sentence structures are grammatically sound. Practicing more complex sentence forms will also help improve your range.

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

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