Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-13

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,

I want to tell you that, I am planning to study part time in Seneca college for the opticianry program,due to this I am unable to work full time as I need to attend my college to complete the course.I have checked the college website, they have different schedules every week,sometimes the classes are in morning and some would be in evenings.But I would manage that and I will continue to work accordingly my timetable.

I understand this will take few months to complete my course,but it will benefit me later in my work and enhance my skills and growth in my career.The few things that I could not able to do now due to the lack of the certification,than I would be able to do it completely without any help from the other certified staff at our store.

I hope you you will understand my concern and will cooperate with me to complete my course.

Yours Sincerely,

Simran

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You explain that you want to study opticianry at Seneca College and give a relevant reason: the course requires you to attend classes. You also describe how the qualification could help you perform duties independently and develop professionally. However, the request is only partly addressed because you do not specify the working hours or days you are asking to work; saying you will work “accordingly [to] my timetable” leaves the arrangement unclear. The benefit to your employer is relevant but could be explained more directly, for example by naming the tasks you could take on or how your new skills would help the store. State a clear proposed schedule and develop the workplace benefit to address every part fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable sequence: you introduce your study plans, explain the possible class schedules, describe a career benefit, and close with a request for cooperation. The paragraphs also separate the main points reasonably well. However, the progression is weakened by the unclear work arrangement: “I will continue to work accordingly my timetable” does not tell the reader what schedule you are proposing. Some links between ideas are also awkward or repetitive, particularly the repeated use of “and” and the transition from the course taking “few months” to its longer-term benefits. Organise the request around the three task points, using a separate, explicit sentence for your preferred hours and clearer links to show how the qualification benefits the employer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “opticianry program,” “certification,” “skills,” and “career,” so the reader can understand the subject and intended benefit. Your range is nevertheless limited, with repeated general terms such as “work,” “course,” and “benefit,” and some phrases are not natural or precise. For example, “complete the course” is understandable, but “complete my qualification” would be more specific; “without any help from the other certified staff” could be expressed more professionally as “independently, without relying on other certified staff.” Choose precise workplace language and vary repeated words. More natural collocations would make the request sound clearer and more appropriate for a letter to a manager.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, including a sentence explaining that classes may be held at different times. However, complex sentences are often faulty, and errors sometimes make the meaning less clear. Examples include “I am planning to study …, due to this I am unable to work full time,” which joins clauses incorrectly, and “the few things that I could not able to do,” which has an incorrect verb construction. There are also errors in articles, agreement, and punctuation, such as “in morning” and the comma after “that” in the opening sentence. Use shorter, correctly punctuated sentences where needed, and check verb patterns—for example, “I have not been able to do” rather than “I could not able to do.”

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