Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Dear sir, The main reason writing this letter to tell you about my decision ,im going to start my study related to work so i wont do work full time because my classes will be start at evening time till 4pm to 7oclock. I request to you that can you change my work schedule and i will able to do work in morning to afternoon.So that,I can attend my classes as well as on weekend i will be work on same timetable. That would be more productive for both sides. Moreover ,there are lots of benefits to your company which study im going to start next month .your company need the software operator to deal with all the data which using on daily bases.The study related to data base,save information and how to deal with customers. It helps to expand your busines all around world.Iwill be wait for your response. yours sincerly, sukh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter covers all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the preferred hours, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited. The explanation of the benefits is somewhat vague, and the tone is inconsistent for a formal business letter. While the purpose is clear, the lack of professional structure and the brevity of the arguments prevent it from reaching a higher band. To improve, you should expand on how your specific studies will directly improve your current work performance rather than just stating general benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and sometimes mechanical (e.g., 'Moreover'). There are issues with sentence flow, and the transition between ideas is often abrupt. The lack of proper punctuation, such as missing spaces after commas and periods, makes the text feel disjointed. Improving the use of linking words like 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' would help create a smoother progression of ideas throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, relying on simple phrases like 'do work' and 'study related to'. There are several spelling errors, such as 'busines' and 'sincerly', and some word choice inaccuracies, such as 'software operator' (which may not be the correct term for your role) and 'using on daily bases' (should be 'used on a daily basis'). You need to use a wider range of vocabulary related to professional environments and academic pursuits to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('the'), incorrect verb tenses ('i will be work'), and subject-verb agreement issues ('classes will be start'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and the lack of proper punctuation (capitalization and spacing) significantly impacts the readability of the letter. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree, and using correct punctuation consistently. Complex structures are attempted but are generally inaccurate.

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

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