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 you to request a reduction in my working hours as I am enrolled in college to study part time.

I am currently enrolled in Business Management course. My classes will be held on Monday to Wednesday between 9 am to 12 pm. I need to attend classes as it will help me in my future. I can work Thursday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm and during evening time I can focus on study.

As this study will help me in future but it is also beneficial for our company because with this study I will learn, how to increase sales and how to make company bigger. I will use to this study to make our company more bigger as well as to increase its sales.

I hope you understand my situation and waiting for your positive reply.

Warm Regards

Jashan Bansal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three required points: you explain that you are studying part time, specify your proposed Thursday-to-Sunday hours, and describe how Business Management could help the company increase sales. The request is clear and relevant. However, the reason for studying is only briefly stated as helping your future, and the employer benefit is repeated rather than developed with a specific example of how you would apply your learning. The response is also one word below the required minimum of 150 words. To strengthen the letter, explain your motivation more fully and give a concrete workplace application, such as using course knowledge to improve sales planning.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure: an opening request, paragraphs covering your schedule and the employer benefit, and a closing. The information is generally easy to follow, and the days and hours are stated clearly. Some connections between ideas are awkward or repetitive, particularly “As this study will help me in future but it is also beneficial,” where the contrast marker does not fit the relationship. The benefit paragraph also repeats the ideas of making the company bigger and increasing sales. Use clearer transitions and organise each paragraph around one purpose: your study and schedule, then the specific benefit to the employer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, with relevant terms such as “Business Management,” “working hours,” and “increase sales.” However, the range is limited and several phrases are unnatural or imprecise, including “make company bigger,” “during evening time,” and “positive reply.” The repeated use of “help” and “study” also makes the letter less varied. Choose more natural workplace expressions and avoid repeating the same benefit. For example, you could describe applying management knowledge to “support business growth” or “improve sales performance.” These changes would make the message sound more professional while preserving its clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple sentences and some longer structures, and the main message remains understandable. There are, however, some errors in sentence construction and grammatical forms. “I am writing you to request” needs a preposition after “writing,” while “I am currently enrolled in Business Management course” is missing an article. The sentence beginning “As this study will help me in future but…” combines clauses incorrectly, and “I will use to this study” has an incorrect verb pattern. Aim to produce accurate, complete sentences before adding complexity. Checking articles, prepositions, and how clauses are joined would improve control and make the request more polished.

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