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 Sir/Madam

Hope this letter find you well, I am writing this letter to express my feeling about reduce my working hours, it will be benefit for me in future as of now i cant spare more time in my studies

As you know i am a full time employee of your company, but now i regret that study is more important then work, currently i am working morning 8 am to 2 pm as customer care executive, i will pursue my furthered study and my college time is morning, so now i am ready to work in evening or may be 4 to 5 hours

Hope you understand my future plans, if i completing my Masters from reputed university it will be beneficial for your company also, i will try improve grow from my studies, it will gain more stratergies and more power

Hoping to for your positive reply,

Thanks & regards

Bhumika

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the preferred hours, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited. For instance, the explanation of how the studies benefit the company is vague, using phrases like 'it will gain more stratergies and more power' without explaining how these skills apply to the role. The tone is also somewhat informal and lacks the professional polish expected in a formal request to a manager. To improve, you should provide more specific details about the course and how the knowledge gained will directly contribute to your performance at work.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is very limited and often mechanical. There is a lack of linking words to connect ideas smoothly between sentences. For example, the transition between your current role and your request is abrupt. Additionally, the punctuation is inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and comma splices, such as 'Hope this letter find you well, I am writing this letter...'. Improving the use of transition signals and ensuring each sentence is clearly demarcated would significantly improve the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. You rely on simple words like 'work', 'study', and 'good'. There are also several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'it will be benefit for me' (should be 'beneficial') and 'i will try improve grow' (which is grammatically unclear). The phrase 'more power' is not appropriate in a professional context. To reach a higher band, you need to use a wider range of vocabulary, including more precise professional terminology related to employment and academic development, and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('Hope this letter find you well'), missing articles, and incorrect verb tenses ('if i completing my Masters'). The sentence structures are mostly simple, and attempts at complex sentences are often marred by punctuation errors, such as comma splices. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring that subjects and verbs agree, and using correct verb forms. Proofreading for basic punctuation and capitalization (e.g., 'i' should always be 'I') is essential.

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

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