Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14

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 4.5)

Dear boss,

I hope you're doing well. I am writting this letter to requesting you to please reduce my working because extra work is effecting my study which i did'nt want.

I want you to reduce my work because whenever I do extra work it always effect my study because i did'nt manage the work and study at the same time. On the other hand i have to manage my food.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to address the task requirements significantly. While you mention the desire to reduce working hours, you do not specify which hours you would like to work, nor do you explain how your studies would benefit the employer. Furthermore, the response is severely under-length at only 71 words, failing to meet the 150-word minimum. This lack of development means the task is only partially addressed, resulting in a low score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The letter lacks a clear structure. There is no formal opening or closing, and the ideas are not organized into logical paragraphs. The use of cohesive devices is very limited, making the flow of the letter disjointed. To improve, you should use clear paragraphing for each bullet point in the prompt and use linking words such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'in addition' to connect your ideas more effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.5

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive. You use the word 'work' and 'study' multiple times without variation. There are also errors in word choice, such as 'effecting' instead of 'affecting'. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to express your needs professionally. You should aim to use more precise language related to a workplace context, such as 'professional development', 'schedule', or 'productivity'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that impede clarity. Examples include 'I am writting this letter to requesting' (incorrect verb form), 'i did'nt' (incorrect capitalization and contraction), and 'it always effect' (incorrect verb usage). The sentence structures are simple and repetitive. To improve, focus on basic subject-verb agreement, correct spelling of common words like 'writing', and consistent use of formal punctuation.

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

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