Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-14

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/Madam,

I am writing a letter to you regarding reduce my working hours because I have to do study part time.

By reducing my working hours I have that much time to properly focus on my study which is related to our work and that is very beneficial for me . The fundamentall reason is I want to get a great position in your company by doing the great education and get a lot of knowledge as well.

Therefore, I want working at evening time from Monday to Friday. To explicate it, because doing study at morning time is good for me. At that time, we feel very fresh and relax so that is why morning time helps me to concertrate on my studies.

On other side, my study is also beneficial for you. The great reason is that if I studying a higher level then it will be give me a good position by this way your work will be easy because by getting high knowledge I will handle all work which is related to our company.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully

Arsh Sidhu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you explain that you want time to study, propose working evenings from Monday to Friday, and describe how further study could help you take on more work. The purpose of the letter is clear, and the closing is appropriate. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The reason for studying is mainly framed as gaining a better position, while the benefit to your employer remains general: “your work will be easy” and you will “handle all work” do not explain what specific skills or responsibilities would improve. Clarify how the course relates to your role and give a concrete example of how the new knowledge would benefit the company.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a coherent overall arrangement: you explain your request, state your preferred schedule, discuss the employer’s benefit, and finish with a suitable closing. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and expressions such as “Therefore” and “On other side” signal transitions. At times, however, the links feel mechanical or the relationship between ideas is unclear. For example, “To explicate it” introduces the reason for your preferred hours, but the explanation that mornings are good for studying does not clearly connect to working in the evening. The repeated use of “because” and “that is why” also makes the progression less smooth. Use more direct transitions and make each paragraph develop one connected point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main request, including phrases such as “reduce my working hours,” “part-time studies,” and “higher level.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, which sometimes makes the message less clear. For instance, “do study part time” and “get a great education” are not natural expressions in this context, while “concertrate” is misspelled. “Fundamentall” is also misspelled, and “great” is repeated without adding precise meaning. Aim for more accurate workplace and study-related phrasing, and check spelling carefully. More specific vocabulary would help explain what you plan to study and how it could strengthen your contribution to the company.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, using clauses with “because” and “if” to explain your reasons and the possible benefit to your employer. The overall meaning is generally understandable, but some errors in sentence structure and verb forms make parts of the letter awkward. For example, “I am writing a letter to you regarding reduce my working hours” needs a different grammatical pattern, and “if I studying a higher level then it will be give me” contains errors in the conditional clause and verb phrase. “I want working at evening time” also needs a corrected verb pattern. Practise accurate infinitive and gerund forms, conditional structures, and sentence boundaries; this will let you express your ideas more clearly while retaining your attempts at complex sentences.

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

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