Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-03

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 John,

I am writing you formally that i want to start my exective MBA in this regard i am going to request you to decrease my working hours to acheive my educational dream.

The main concern is i want to improve my educational skills by having a master degree which i found is very helpful for to get promopt or getting better descions for the company. If you spare some hours from my shift then its going to be my asset which i can cash in future.I will make sure my subordinate will handle all the task in my absence.

My class start at 2:00 P.M in afternoon and onward till 6:00 P.M and i will be working from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM i just need 4 hours spare from my shift i hope Mr.John you will allow me to fullfill my dream.

The exective MBA degree which i want to do is really design to enhance student decsion making skills and how to handle to the diffilcult in given time. Which i belive is very helpful for the company progress and i am sure if i got chance to do this i will make positive change for the company growth.

Looking forward for you response

Regards,

Suneel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the prompt, fulfilling the requirements for a general correspondence task. You clearly explain why you want to reduce your working hours to pursue an executive MBA, specify your proposed working schedule, and describe how your part-time studies will benefit your employer. The communication purpose is transparent and all bullet points are addressed. However, some ideas remain slightly under-developed or repetitive, such as the explanation of how your subordinate will manage tasks and the general assertions regarding company progress. To reach the highest bands, these points would need more extended elaboration and precise contextual detail. Overall, the content fully meets the lower threshold and shows partial elements of more thoroughly extended development.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement and follows an appropriate layout for a professional request to a supervisor. The progression of ideas is generally logical, moving from your initial request to the operational details and the anticipated benefits. However, paragraphing is somewhat inconsistent and cohesive devices are occasionally faulty or mechanical, such as the abrupt transitions between sentences in the second and fourth paragraphs. Referencing could also be smoother to ensure clearer links between your studies and the company's growth. To improve cohesion, you should employ a wider and more natural range of linking words and ensure each paragraph focuses on a single, well-bounded sub-topic with clear internal progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your core message, but the range is limited and constrained by noticeable errors in word choice, spelling, and word formation. Examples include 'exective' instead of executive, 'promopt' instead of promotion, 'descions' instead of decisions, and 'diffilcult' instead of difficulties. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they highlight a restricted lexical flexibility that holds the writing back. To achieve a higher band, you need to demonstrate a broader range of vocabulary, including less common collocations and precise academic or professional terms, while maintaining accurate spelling and word formation throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response relies on a limited range of grammatical structures, with frequent punctuation errors and run-on sentences, such as missing full stops between independent clauses. There are notable issues with capitalization ('Mr.John'), verb forms ('My class start'), and preposition use. Attempts at complex sentences often contain errors, such as in the sentence describing how the degree enhances decision-making skills. Although the meaning is usually recoverable, the frequency of grammatical slips causes some difficulty for the reader. To progress to a higher band, you should aim to produce a better balance of error-free simple and complex sentences, paying closer attention to subject-verb agreement, article usage, and punctuation boundaries.

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

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