Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 Manager ,

I am writing to request information about decrease my working hours in a office , because i want focus on my studies which is not happen along with full time job .

The reason behind this is i have my IELTS exam in fourth coming month, and i want a satisfactory result , which requires a practice . Moreover, i spend my most of time in a office and be exhausted at the end of day , and never feel focused towards my studied . Therefore , reduce my working hours to half time until i attend my exam .

Moreover, due to having more time for studies will not only help me to achieve my eligible band score but also secure my path to permanent residency . Nevertheless , if i got my PR then i can work in this company for longer time , as now i have only limited period of work permit .

Thank you i look forward to see you .

Yours faithfully,

daljit singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For instance, you mention wanting to reduce hours to 'half time' but do not specify a concrete schedule (e.g., mornings or specific days). Additionally, the explanation of how your studies benefit the employer is slightly weak, focusing more on your personal goal of permanent residency rather than how your new skills might add value to the company. To improve, ensure you provide more specific details and maintain a professional tone throughout the letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your request. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Therefore', and 'Nevertheless' to link your ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as using 'Nevertheless' to introduce a point that is not a contrast. Furthermore, the paragraphing is a bit disjointed, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words more naturally and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'permanent residency' and 'work permit'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'decrease my working hours' (instead of 'reducing'), 'fourth coming month' (instead of 'upcoming'), and 'my most of time' (instead of 'most of my time'). These errors do not prevent understanding, but they do limit the precision of your writing. Expanding your range of collocations and focusing on accurate word forms will help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Common issues include incorrect verb forms ('which is not happen', 'i want focus'), missing articles ('in a office'), and punctuation errors (spaces before commas). While the meaning remains clear, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction are noticeable. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement, article usage, and consistent verb tenses. Proofreading your work for these common slips before submitting would be a very effective strategy.

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

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