Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-23

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 am lovepreet kaur and i am working in the shipping department in your company. My shift timings are 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm in the evening from monday to friday.I am requesting you sir kindly reduce my working hours from 40 to 30 because I join the collage for my futher study.

My classses are staring from upcoming sunday that is 25.10.2026 and my classes time table is in the evening. Please change my schedule in morning now so that my working hours does not match with my collage hours .My course is related to dispatch which is very fruitful for the company beause now i am dealing with cambles products to ship them online. this things i wil learn more in my course in details that how i can inteact with customers online.

Hopeing to see you soon on thois matter as soon as possible.

Yours Sincerly,

Lovepreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you explain that you want to study, request a reduction from 40 to 30 hours, propose morning work, and describe how dispatch-related study could help with online customer interactions. The purpose of the letter is clear and the details about your current shift and course make the request relevant. However, the benefit to the employer is only briefly explained, and the link between the course and improved work performance could be made more specific. The opening and closing are appropriate in intent, though a more professional form of address and a clearer, more complete request would strengthen the letter. Develop the employer benefit with a concrete example, such as how the course could improve dispatch accuracy or customer service.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The information follows a generally sensible order: you introduce yourself and your current shift, explain the study commitment, request morning hours, and then describe a possible benefit to the company. This makes the main purpose easy to follow. Some connections between ideas are less clear, however. For example, “My classes are starting… and my classes time table is in the evening” is followed by “Please change my schedule in morning now,” but the exact hours you are requesting are not stated. The final benefit sentence also combines several ideas without clear separation. Use distinct paragraphs for the request and the employer benefit, and connect each point with clear transitions so the reader can follow the reasoning more smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough task-related vocabulary to communicate the main request, including “working hours,” “schedule,” “course,” “dispatch,” and “customers online.” There are also attempts to use more specific language, such as “fruitful for the company,” although this collocation is not natural in this context. Several spelling errors and imprecise choices—such as “collage,” “futher,” “staring,” and “cambles products”—make parts of the letter harder to understand and reduce the accuracy of your vocabulary. Aim for precise workplace and study-related expressions, and proofread spelling carefully. For example, describe the course as “relevant to my role” and explain that it could help you “improve online customer service.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You communicate the main message using a mixture of simple statements and longer sentences, including the explanation that your class timetable conflicts with your shift. Some grammatical errors remain, particularly in sentence construction, verb forms, articles, and punctuation. For instance, “I join the collage” should use a suitable past or present-perfect form, while “so that my working hours does not match” has a subject–verb agreement problem. The sentence beginning “My course is related to dispatch” also runs several ideas together, making the structure difficult to control. Use complete sentences, check agreement and tense, and separate clauses with appropriate punctuation. These changes would make your request more polished and easier to read.

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