Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-02

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,

Iam writing to reqest you to reducemy working hours as I intend to pursue a part- time course in construction Project Management.

The reason for my request is that have been offered admission to diploma in Quantity Surveying and AutoCAD at UET Lahre. The classes will be held from 5PM on weekdays. Since I currently work until 6 PM, I will not be able to attend the classes regularly without an adjustment in my duty hours.

I would like to request you to allow me to work from 7AM to 3 PM, Monday to Saturday. This schedule will still allow me to complete my site supervision duties in the morning

I hope you will Kindly approve my request.

yours faithfully,

Hasan Ali

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement, containing only 124 words instead of the required 150 words. While the letter addresses all parts of the task prompt, the ideas are minimally developed. You explained why you want to reduce your hours and stated the new schedule, but the third bullet point regarding how your part-time studies would benefit your employer is completely omitted from the letter. This lack of full development and failure to cover all bullet points restricts the score. To achieve a higher band, you must ensure all aspects of the prompt are fully covered and expand your ideas to meet the word count requirement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear purpose established in the opening. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the introduction, reasons, proposed schedule, and closing. However, the progression is slightly basic and cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or missing entirely. For example, transitioning between the explanation of studies and the work schedule could be smoother with better use of linking words. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a strong overarching organizational structure for the omitted benefit point limits further progression. To improve, incorporate a wider range of cohesive devices naturally and ensure all required letter sections are fully integrated.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

An adequate range of vocabulary is used for the task, including topic-specific terms like 'Quantity Surveying', 'AutoCAD', and 'site supervision duties'. There are some spelling and word choice errors, such as 'reqest' instead of 'request', 'reducemy' without a space, and 'Lahre' instead of Lahore, but these do not impede communication. You attempt less common vocabulary, which shows flexibility, though occasional minor slips remain. To move to a higher band, eliminate spelling mistakes and use a wider variety of precise, sophisticated lexical items with flawless control over word formation and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence forms used throughout the letter, such as the conditional-style structure in 'Since I currently work until 6 PM, I will not be able to attend...'. There are some errors in grammar, articles, and punctuation, including missing articles ('pursue a part-time course') and spacing issues ('part- time', '5PM', '3 PM'), but these errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear. To achieve a higher band, you need to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures with frequent error-free sentences and ensure punctuation and spacing are meticulously checked.

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

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