Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-31

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 am writing this letter to inform you about a situation that required your attention. I need some reduction of my working hours because my exam is knocking at the door.

I have been working in company for last 2 years. Few month ago I admitted in a well known university for completing my MBA. Recently my 1st semester exam routine has been published and I can not work as a full time employee. I know that, if I leave the company now it will be difficult for you to handle all the works along. So I decided to do work as a part timer. May be I could work in the evening after my classes. Also I can join meetings on online and can give instructions to our team members.

when I complete my MBA then I will work as usual and my graduation can help the company in several ways.

I would be grateful if you could look into this matter as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

yours faithfully

xyz

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points of the task. You explained the need for reduced hours due to your MBA exams, specified your availability in the evenings, and described how your studies would benefit the company. However, the development of these points is somewhat basic. For example, the explanation of how your graduation will benefit the employer is quite vague. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific details about how your MBA knowledge will add value to the company’s operations or projects. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the opening 'Dear sir' is slightly generic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'also' and 'when I complete'. However, the progression between ideas is sometimes mechanical, and the paragraphing is not fully utilized to separate distinct ideas effectively. The transition between your current situation and the future benefits of your degree could be smoother. Using a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in addition to this') would help improve the flow and connectivity of your arguments, moving beyond simple sentence-by-sentence progression.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to communicate your message clearly. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'knocking at the door' (an idiom that is slightly informal for this context) and 'admitted in a well known university' (should be 'admitted to'). You rely on fairly common vocabulary throughout the letter. To improve, try to incorporate more precise professional terminology related to your work and academic goals. For instance, instead of 'handle all the works', you could use 'manage the workload' or 'oversee the projects'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'Few month ago' (should be 'A few months ago'), 'routine has been published' (should be 'schedule has been released'), and 'join meetings on online' (should be 'join meetings online'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and capitalization issues throughout the text. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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