Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-22

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 4.0)

Dear Craig Coltson,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this to make request regarding adjustment of work schedule to allow time for part-time coursework.

Recently, I got enrolled in Fluid Process course and I have to invest a considerable amount of time and concentration into studies. Due to busy work

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 2.5

The opening establishes a relevant purpose: you want to adjust your work schedule so you can study part time, and you explain that the Fluid Process course requires time and concentration. However, the response stops before completing the explanation and does not state the hours you would like to work or how your studies could benefit your employer. As a result, the main requirements of the letter are largely unaddressed, and the reader cannot understand the practical arrangement you are requesting. The response is also substantially below the required minimum length, leaving too little space to develop the request. Complete all three points explicitly, including a proposed schedule and a specific workplace benefit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a recognisable letter opening and a basic progression from greeting to purpose and then to the reason for studying. The phrase “I am writing this to make request” signals the purpose, while “Recently” introduces the course information. However, the text ends abruptly at “Due to busy work,” so the explanation is unfinished and there is no closing or clear development into the requested schedule and employer benefit. The single paragraph also gives the reader little sense of how the points relate. Use separate paragraphs for the request, proposed hours, and benefits, and connect them with clear transitions. A complete ending would make the letter feel more coherent and purposeful.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant workplace and study vocabulary, including “adjustment of work schedule,” “part-time coursework,” and “considerable amount of time and concentration.” These choices make the general topic clear. However, several phrases are awkward or imprecise: “make request” is not a natural collocation, and “got enrolled in Fluid Process course” is less idiomatic than a standard expression for starting a course. The unfinished phrase “Due to busy work” also leaves the intended meaning unclear. The limited amount of writing restricts the range of vocabulary demonstrated. Aim for natural, precise phrases such as “request a change to my working hours” and “enrolled in a course on fluid processes,” then use specific vocabulary to explain your proposed schedule and the skills your employer could gain.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response includes a few clear sentence forms, such as “I hope you are doing well” and “I am writing this to make request regarding adjustment of work schedule.” The latter shows an attempt to express a formal request, but it is missing articles before “request” and “adjustment.” In “I got enrolled in Fluid Process course,” the article before “course” is also absent. The final sentence begins with “Due to busy work” but is incomplete, so it does not form a complete grammatical thought. Because the response is very short and ends mid-sentence, there is little evidence of a wider range of structures or sustained accuracy. Write complete sentences and check articles and sentence boundaries as you develop the letter.

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

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