Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-22

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 MR. smith,

I am writing to ask for your assistance regarding my working hours . I was hoping you might be able to help me resolve the situation.

My part time Marketing course is the primary reason to reduce the working hours. As this course is in-person, which demands my presence in the class from Monday to Thursday. Kindly provide me the opportunity, so I can pursue my studies.

Regarding the new availability,

I would greatly appreciate your help and consideration. I look forward to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Yours Sincerely,

Nardeep Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the task achievement score. While the letter attempts to address the prompt, it is severely underdeveloped. You mention the reason for the request (a marketing course) and briefly touch upon the need for a schedule change, but you fail to specify the hours you wish to work and completely omit the third bullet point regarding how your studies would benefit your employer. Because the response is incomplete and falls well below the length requirement, it cannot be awarded a score higher than 4.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is very short, making it difficult to assess the use of cohesive devices. There is a basic attempt at paragraphing, but the flow is interrupted by the incomplete sentence 'Regarding the new availability,'. The lack of development means there is no logical progression of ideas. To improve, you must ensure each bullet point is addressed in a full paragraph with clear transitions between your reasons, your proposed schedule, and the benefits to the company. Currently, the structure is too fragmented to demonstrate a higher level of coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is functional but very limited. You rely on basic phrases such as 'ask for your assistance' and 'resolve the situation'. There is no attempt to use more sophisticated or topic-specific vocabulary related to professional communication or academic study. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise language, such as 'professional development', 'mutually beneficial arrangement', or 'academic commitment'. The current range is sufficient for basic communication but lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. For example, 'the primary reason to reduce the working hours' should be 'the primary reason for requesting a reduction in my working hours'. The sentence 'I look forward to hear your thoughts' is incorrect; it should be 'I look forward to hearing your thoughts'. Additionally, there are punctuation and capitalization issues, such as 'MR. smith'. The range of structures is limited to simple sentences, and the errors present, while not always impeding meaning, are frequent relative to the short length of the text.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.