Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-07

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 MR.oberoi

i am writing this letter to adjusu my working hours becouse of my study schedule.

To commence with,i want to mimimise my office hours the reason behind this is i am a student also and studies in 10th standard which is board so i need to work hard for final exams moveover he already have a hectic school of my study.

nextly, if it is possible can we sift my working hours on weekink end i will promise i will give my best efforts to my work also as well as i do work with full of honesty and dedication.

infact, study provide me much assistance like we learn from our stude how to run the program furthermore'it help us to develop our confidence skills as well as language skills.

i am looking forward your promp response, i hope you have no any kind of objaction with my perspective.

Your sincerely,

Harpreet kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the main purpose by explaining that you are studying in the 10th standard and need time to prepare for board exams. You also request weekend work and mention possible benefits, such as developing confidence and language skills. However, the request is not fully clear: you do not specify the exact hours or days you would like to work, and the benefits to your employer are only loosely explained. For example, “how to run the program” is not connected clearly to your workplace. The letter therefore covers the task only partially, with relevant but under-developed ideas. State a precise proposed schedule and explain how your studies would improve your contribution at work.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you introduce your request, explain your reason, suggest a schedule, and close politely. Paragraph breaks help separate these stages. However, progression is not always clear, and some linking expressions feel mechanical or are used inaccurately, including “To commence with,” “nextly,” and “infact.” The sentence beginning “study provide me much assistance” shifts abruptly from your work arrangement to general benefits of studying, without clearly linking those benefits to your employer. Some references, such as “he already have,” are also unclear. Use simpler transitions and organise the body into focused paragraphs: reason, proposed hours, and employer benefit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some vocabulary relevant to the situation, including “working hours,” “final exams,” “honesty,” “dedication,” and “confidence skills.” However, the range is limited and several spelling, word-form, and collocation errors make parts difficult to understand, such as “adjusu,” “mimimise,” “sift my working hours,” and “full of honesty.” Some expressions are also vague or unnatural, particularly “study provide me much assistance” and “hectic school of my study.” These issues fit a limited but minimally adequate range: the intended topic is usually apparent, but the reader must sometimes infer your meaning. Aim for accurate, natural phrases such as “adjust my schedule” and “work with commitment.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine ideas in longer sentences, for example when explaining your studies and exam preparation, but these structures are often faulty. Errors in sentence boundaries and punctuation make the message harder to follow, as in “the reason behind this is i am a student also and studies in 10th standard which is board.” There are also frequent problems with verb forms and agreement, such as “study provide” and “it help us,” as well as missing or incorrect articles and prepositions. Capitalisation is inconsistent, including lowercase “i” and the greeting. Use shorter, complete sentences first, checking subject–verb agreement and articles, then add a few accurately controlled complex sentences.

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

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