Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-24

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 Adam i am writing this letter regrading my working hours. currently i am working full time but i have decided to study for my license exam so right now i am working as pharmacy assistant but after giving my exam for technicians i am able to work as pharmacy tech which would be great for my further.

although i need to work because i have to much expensive to pay for that myself have decided that i can work Monday to Thursday so in evening time i can read properly apart from that reaming 3 days i can study whole day which is every benefits for me so after giving the exam i as early mention i can grow my further opportunities that would be very helpfully for my Carrer.

"i would greatly appreciate it. if you could consider my request and arrange suitable schedule for this situation

Yours faithfully,

Neel patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt: the reason for the request, the preferred hours, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited and occasionally unclear. For instance, the explanation of how the studies benefit the employer is vague, focusing more on the writer's personal career growth than on the value added to the pharmacy. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the lack of clear structure and some confusing phrasing slightly detract from the overall effectiveness of the communication.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is divided into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is weak. There is a lack of linking words to connect ideas smoothly, and some sentences are run-on or poorly punctuated, such as the second paragraph which contains several distinct ideas joined only by commas or lack of punctuation. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the logic between the request for time off and the justification provided.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and often repetitive. There are several spelling errors (e.g., 'regrading', 'reaming', 'Carrer', 'helpfully') and word choice issues (e.g., 'every benefits' instead of 'very beneficial'). The range of vocabulary is limited, and the writer struggles to express more complex ideas with precision. While the meaning is generally clear enough to be understood, the frequent errors and lack of variety in word choice prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement, incorrect verb tenses, and missing articles. Punctuation is also problematic; the misuse of periods and commas makes the text difficult to read in places, such as the sentence starting with 'although i need to work'. Complex structures are attempted but are often inaccurate, which leads to confusion. The high frequency of errors throughout the text significantly impacts the clarity of the message.

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

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