Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-30

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 Boss,

I am writing this letter to you that i want you to reduce my working hours because of my studies, my final exams are coming and i need a specific time for [preparation because as already you know that i am married and have a two year old son so i have to take care of him and have to spend sometime with him also.

I want to reduce some hours in the evening, this time is very suitable for me because at that time i feel free from everything house holdchores, job and i can group study with my classmates and friends. After my exams i will be free to give more time to my job and could start working on new projects.

I hope you will understand my situation and cooperate with me for my final exams. I will be really thankfull to you.

Your Employer,

Yusra

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You explained the need to reduce hours for study, specified the evening hours, and touched upon the benefit to the employer by mentioning future project work. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, the benefit to the employer is mentioned only briefly at the end. To achieve a higher band, you should expand on how your studies will specifically add value to the company, such as gaining new skills that could be applied to your current role. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the opening 'Dear Boss' is slightly informal; 'Dear [Name]' or 'Dear Manager' would be more professional.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your message. There is a logical progression from the reason for your request to the specific hours and the benefits. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite basic. You rely heavily on simple conjunctions like 'and' or 'because'. To improve, try using a wider range of linking words and phrases such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition to this'. Additionally, some sentences are quite long and run-on, such as the first paragraph, which makes the flow feel a bit cluttered.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your needs clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'working hours', 'part-time studies', and 'final exams'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'house holdchores' (household chores) and 'thankfull' (thankful). To move to a higher band, try to incorporate more precise vocabulary related to professional requests, such as 'accommodate', 'flexibility', or 'professional development'. The current vocabulary is functional but lacks the sophistication expected at higher levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For instance, 'I am writing this letter to you that i want you to reduce' is grammatically awkward; a better structure would be 'I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours'. There are also consistent issues with capitalization (e.g., 'i' instead of 'I') and punctuation. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proper sentence boundaries will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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