Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-12

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 or mam,

I am writing to inform you about my offer letter that i received recently from Harvard University, owing to which i want to reduce my working and focus more on my studies.

My course allows only traditional classes, which require to attend classes 5 days a week and it has 2 semester. I will get free from the college at 12 noon, then i can easily start my duties in the evening shift which will not effect my perfomace. Moreover, after completion of course i can easily get promotion in the company which also increase my cheque.

Yours faithfully,

Ritik

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You explain that you have received an offer from Harvard and want to focus on your studies, and you indicate that you could work an evening shift after classes. However, the request is not fully developed: you do not specify the exact hours or days you are asking to work, and the employer benefit is mainly presented as a possible promotion and higher pay for you, rather than explaining how your studies would help the company. The response also contains 104 words, below the required 150, so there is not enough detail to address the three points fully. Add a clear proposed schedule and specific workplace benefits, such as relevant new skills or knowledge you could apply in your role.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable opening, a body paragraph and a closing, and the sequence from explaining your studies to describing a possible evening shift is understandable. Linking expressions such as “owing to which” and “Moreover” help connect ideas. However, the body combines several points without clearly separating the request, proposed schedule and benefit to the employer. The relationship between finishing college at noon and starting an evening shift is also not fully explained, and the letter ends without a direct request for your boss’s agreement. Organise the content into clearer stages and use a separate paragraph for the proposed hours and the value your studies could bring to the company.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some vocabulary relevant to the situation, including “offer letter,” “traditional classes,” “evening shift” and “completion of course.” These choices make the general topic clear. However, several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural for a formal workplace letter: “reduce my working” is incomplete, “my cheque” does not clearly express the benefit to the employer, and “effect my performance” uses the wrong word form and spelling. “Offer letter” may also suggest a job offer rather than a university admission offer. Choose precise phrases such as “reduce my working hours,” “admission offer” and “apply my new knowledge at work.” Proofread spelling and use a consistently professional register.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, for example the sentence beginning “My course allows only traditional classes, which require…” and the sentence using “after completion of course.” The main meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement remain. In “which require to attend classes,” the clause needs a subject and a suitable verb pattern; “it has 2 semester” has an unclear reference and incorrect singular/plural agreement; and “which also increase my cheque” does not agree with its subject. There are also missing articles in phrases such as “from the college” and “completion of course.” Practise building accurate relative clauses and checking articles, pronouns and subject–verb agreement.

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

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