Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-16

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 request a reduction in my worky hours, because I wanted to take an admission in a trainig institute for dental nurses.It is located near my house.

Ideally, I would like to work as a part time.I will be able to join the clinic in the evening shift.I would be happy to discuss further about these timings and will try my best to give time to the clinic as well.

I believe that my part time studies in this trainning institute will further enhance and improve my skills.The course is mainly focused on cost infection control and latest sterilization techniques. This advanced training will bring overall improvement in my skills.

Yours Faithfully,

Amara Nouman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the preferred hours, and the benefits to the employer. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. The explanation of how the studies benefit the employer is quite brief and lacks detail. To improve, you should expand on how your new skills in infection control and sterilization will specifically increase the efficiency or safety standards of the clinic. Because the response is 31 words short of the minimum, it fails to fully develop the required points, resulting in a lower score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited. There is a reliance on simple sentence structures, and the transition between ideas is somewhat mechanical. For example, the jump between the request for hours and the benefits of the training could be smoother with better linking words. To reach a higher band, try to use a wider variety of cohesive devices (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition to this') to connect your sentences and ideas more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. There are also several spelling errors, such as 'worky' instead of 'working', 'trainig' and 'trainning' instead of 'training', and 'cost' instead of 'cross' (likely referring to cross-infection). These errors, while not completely impeding communication, are noticeable. To improve, focus on using more professional terminology related to a workplace setting and ensure you proofread for basic spelling mistakes. Expanding your range of vocabulary beyond simple descriptors will help demonstrate a higher level of proficiency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response consists mostly of simple sentences. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors. For instance, 'I wanted to take an admission' is unnatural; 'I wanted to enroll' would be better. 'Work as a part time' is also grammatically incorrect; it should be 'work part-time'. There are also issues with article usage and phrasing. To improve, try to incorporate more complex sentence structures, such as using subordinate clauses, and pay closer attention to verb patterns and prepositional phrases to ensure your writing is more accurate and fluent.

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

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