Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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 am writing to formaly request to lesson my job timings as I want to study part time to learn new skills.

I would like to reduce my working hours for learing new skills. This will help me to gain knowledge in latest technology which will improve my thinking and decision making skills.

I request you to allow me to work from 9 AM to 5 PM so after that I can focus on course which I am planning to study. Moreover, this course will also help me to implement in my job as well. This will improve my leadership skill to make decison for my team and the company will also get employee with latest skills which are been used in market.

I kindly request you to consider my application and allow me to work flexible to gain more knowledge. I would appreciate your understanding in this matter.

I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Neel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: the reason for the request, the specific hours desired, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the mention of 'learning new skills' is repeated in the first two paragraphs without adding significant detail. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific information about the course or the exact nature of the technology you intend to study. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a boss, though the expression of ideas could be more precise to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 7 or higher.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening, body paragraphs, and a closing. Paragraphing is used, though the paragraphs are quite short and could be better integrated. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'This will' are used to link ideas, but the flow is somewhat mechanical. Some sentences feel disconnected, and the transition between the request for hours and the benefits to the employer could be smoother. Overall, the message is easy to follow, but the use of cohesive devices lacks the flexibility required for a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'formaly' (formally), 'lesson' (lessen), and 'learing' (learning). Phrases like 'latest technology' and 'improve my thinking' are somewhat generic. While the meaning is clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and the errors in spelling and collocation prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and ensuring correct spelling of common professional terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'which are been used' (which are being used) and 'allow me to work flexible' (allow me to work flexibly). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall accuracy. The control of verb tenses and word forms needs more attention to achieve a higher band. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while reducing these recurring errors will help improve your score.

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

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