Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-29

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 want to request that I enrol in part-time studies which will effect my working hours in this company which i discussed with my manager as well he will reach out to you as well.

My main concern is to balance my schedule with studies and work. I am going to college for 20hours in a week which is distributed into three days which is from monday to wednesday.So I can work thursday to saturday for 8 hours in a day. I am going to get the security clearance certification from the government of Ontario as our company is looking for the person for secuirty clearance as company comes under cannabis regulation it is mandatory by Health Canada to obtain the security clearance license from the government of Canada.

I hope you understand my situation and reduce my hours and focus more on the studies and help company in future.

Your sincerely

Arunvir singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the proposed schedule, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. The explanation of the benefit to the employer is a bit repetitive and could be more professionally articulated. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the opening and closing are slightly informal. To improve, ensure that the connection between your studies and the company's needs is clearly and concisely explained to demonstrate a stronger professional rationale.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into a logical sequence, moving from the request to the schedule and then the justification. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited. The sentences are often joined by simple conjunctions like 'and' or 'so', and there is a lack of varied linking words to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is also insufficient; the entire body of the letter is contained in one block, which makes it harder to follow. Using clear paragraph breaks for each distinct point would significantly improve the structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are some errors in word choice, such as 'effect' instead of 'affect' and 'secuirty' (spelling). The phrasing is somewhat repetitive, particularly regarding the mention of 'security clearance' and 'company'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise professional terminology and avoid repeating the same phrases. Expanding your range of vocabulary to include more formal business collocations would help convey your message more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include incorrect verb forms ('I want to request that I enrol'), punctuation errors (missing commas), and capitalization mistakes ('monday', 'wednesday'). Additionally, the first sentence is a run-on, making it difficult to read. While the meaning remains clear, these errors are frequent enough to distract the reader. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proper sentence boundary punctuation will help improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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