Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-01

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 Sarah,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to inform you that I have recently started a part-time course in underwriting. Due to which I will not be able to work full-time, and I would like you to reduce my working hours.

As I have classes in the morning from 9am to 2pm. I would like to get some hours after this mentioned timing or probably evening shifts.

Moreover, I am taking this particular course just to sharpen my skills. So that I can be more beneficial for the company. Furthermore, if I will have enough knowledge in this field, I can help with any type of case, from easy to hard ones.

I am looking forward for your response.

Your's Sincerely,

Sasha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the preferred hours, and the benefits to the employer. However, the response is significantly under the 150-word minimum, which limits the development of your ideas. For instance, the explanation of how your studies benefit the company is quite brief and lacks specific detail. To improve, you should expand on how your underwriting course will specifically add value to your current role. Because the letter is 22 words short of the requirement, the task is only partially fulfilled, which negatively impacts the overall score for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organised with a clear opening and closing. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'Furthermore' to link your ideas. However, the paragraphing is somewhat fragmented, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the sentence 'As I have classes in the morning from 9am to 2pm' is a sentence fragment that should be connected to the following sentence. Improving the use of linking phrases and ensuring that each paragraph contains a fully developed idea would help you achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'underwriting', 'sharpen my skills', and 'beneficial'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'I am looking forward for your response', which should be 'I am looking forward to your response'. Additionally, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise professional terminology and avoid basic phrasing. The current range is sufficient to communicate your message clearly, but it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that affect the accuracy of your writing. For example, 'Due to which I will not be able to work' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'Due to this, I will not be able to work'. There is also a punctuation error in 'Your's Sincerely', which should be 'Yours sincerely'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of sentence construction.

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

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