Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-08

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 Mark,

I hope you are doing well. I would like to let you know about my recent decision about my working hours, as you know that I'm international student here. I was facing some difficulties while I am talking to customers. Lately decided to get some extra courses which will gonna help to my career and I would like to improve my speaking skills to move my current position to the front.

I would like to kindly ask from you to reduce my working hours because of my extra classes, that I already enrolled. I only want to work part time at weekends, other time I am afraid that, I will be busy with my classes and daily tasks.

I believe my English classes also will play important role for my current position in the future. I hope that I will talk to clients more confident and without hesitation.

Thanks for understanding.

Yours sincerely

Zaz

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three points: you explain that you want to study English to improve your speaking, request reduced hours, and describe how stronger communication could help you deal with clients. The purpose of the letter is clear and the tone is generally polite. However, some parts are less fully addressed than others. In particular, “I only want to work part time at weekends” does not specify the actual hours or days you are available, although the task asks which hours you would like to work. The benefit to your employer is relevant but brief; explain more directly how improved English could support customer service or your current role. These details would make the request more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear overall arrangement: you introduce your situation, make the request, and then explain a possible benefit to your employer. Paragraphing helps the reader follow these stages, and the closing is appropriate. Some connections between ideas are less clear, however. The opening combines your international-student status, difficulties with customers, and career plans in one long passage, so the relationship between these points is not always easy to follow. The transition from your studies to the specific work schedule could also be smoother. Use clearer links to show cause and effect, and keep each paragraph focused on one purpose. This would strengthen progression while preserving the straightforward structure already present.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “working hours,” “extra courses,” “customers,” “clients,” and “speaking skills.” These choices make your main message understandable, and you attempt some more specific expressions such as “current position.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, including “move my current position to the front,” “extra classes,” and “talk to clients more confident.” The range is adequate for communicating the request, but these phrases reduce precision and naturalness. Choose conventional workplace and study expressions, such as “progress in my career” and “communicate more confidently with clients.” More accurate collocations would help you express your ideas with greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, for example, “I would like to let you know…” and “I believe my English classes also will play important role…” The overall meaning is usually recoverable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity and control. Examples include “as you know that I'm international student,” the tense combination in “I was facing some difficulties while I am talking,” and the construction “which will gonna help.” There are also errors with articles and sentence structure, as in “play important role.” Aim to use a reliable range of sentence patterns and check verb forms, articles, and clause construction. For instance, “I have been having difficulty speaking with customers” is a clearer way to express your experience.

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

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