Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-19

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,

I am writing this letter to concern about the reduction of my working hours because i wanted to study part time in upcoming month.

i would really appreciate to you if i could work in the evenings because i have to go to college in the morning.

moreover, i wanted to inform you that i am joining course related as technical supervision which would be helpful for our company development. Owing to this skill i will be able to fix technical issues.

I kindly request you to make my schedule according to my availability.

your faithfully,

aman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 99 words. While all three bullet points are addressed—explaining the reason for the reduction, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer—the ideas are underdeveloped. The explanation for the study is brief, and the benefit to the employer is stated in a very limited way. To achieve a higher band, you must expand on your ideas with more detail and context to ensure the letter is fully developed and meets the length requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into short paragraphs, which is appropriate for the task. However, the flow is somewhat mechanical. While you use a transition word like 'moreover', the overall progression of ideas feels abrupt due to the brevity of the sentences. The use of cohesive devices is limited, and the letter lacks a natural, professional flow. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your sentences are connected more smoothly to create a cohesive argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. You use simple phrases such as 'reduction of my working hours' and 'helpful for our company development'. There is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise language suitable for a formal business letter. Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'joining course related as technical supervision'. To improve, you should incorporate more professional collocations and precise terminology related to workplace communication and professional development.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include 'I am writing this letter to concern about' (should be 'to express my concern regarding'), 'i wanted to study' (tense inconsistency), and 'appreciate to you' (incorrect preposition). Additionally, there are frequent issues with capitalization, such as the lowercase 'i' used throughout. The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. You need to focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and consistent verb tenses to improve your accuracy.

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

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