Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27

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 Mr. Smith,

I am writing this letter regarding the working hours shift change. I would like to discuss that i will start part time study next week. So, with studies its hard for me to do full time work every week as write now i am doing Monday to Friday. But from next week i am only able to do 3 days per week 2 days i will have classes. This study is about management of business general as right now i have only less idea about accounting this study will help me to understand more about accounts so i can make statements and other things that right now am not able to do. I can also get benefit from this study to get higher position in our company and you will also get old employee for higher position you do not need to hire new one.

I hope you will understand and make decision about my schedule soon.

your sincerely

Parneet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: the reason for the request, the specific hours desired, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. The explanation of the study benefits is a bit repetitive and lacks professional polish. While the purpose is clear, the tone is slightly informal and lacks the nuance expected in a formal business request. To improve, you should expand on how your specific studies will directly add value to the company's operations rather than focusing primarily on your personal career advancement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into a single block of text, which makes it difficult to follow. A formal letter should be structured with clear paragraphs for each main point: the request, the justification, and the benefits. The use of cohesive devices is minimal and somewhat repetitive (e.g., 'this study', 'right now'). The flow between sentences is occasionally disjointed, particularly in the middle section where you explain the study schedule and the benefits. Using transition words like 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' would help improve the logical progression of your ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and professional tone required for a formal letter to a manager. Phrases like 'less idea about accounting' and 'other things' are too vague and informal. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'working hours shift change' and 'get old employee'. To reach a higher band, you should use more specific business terminology, such as 'professional development', 'financial statements', or 'retention of experienced staff'. The range of vocabulary is currently quite narrow.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'with studies its hard' (missing apostrophe and article), 'as write now' (spelling error: 'right'), and 'make decision' (missing article). Sentence structures are mostly simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence variety. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with capitalization and the use of commas. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct use of articles, and incorporating more complex sentence structures to demonstrate better control over your writing.

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

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