Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-24

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 would like to highlight a issue that has been affecting me a lot which is that I want to lessen my job hours so that, I could have time for studies. I wanted to make you sure that, I am presuming my studies further to improve and have excellence in my job. I have also a lot of other things to manage which, I cannot because of the working hours that are quite extended. Also after working for several hours, I become tired and have not much energy to do other responsibilities and study. I would prefer to be working in day time from morning to afternoon after that in evening, I had my classes so that hours can be considered. These studies can help me in future having more creative ideas and innovations that can make the progress of your company. Therefore, it can also help in my productive and excellence in employee performance. I can learn some new skills related to the job requirements.

In Last, I request you to have a look on my concern and make sure to compensate me. It will be a great favor to me and I assure you that, things will be smooth.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address all three requested points: you explain that extended hours leave you tired and limit study time, propose working from morning until afternoon, and describe possible benefits such as new skills, ideas, and improved performance. These points are relevant and your request is clear. However, the proposed schedule is not precise—for example, “from morning to afternoon” does not specify actual hours—and the benefits to the employer are asserted rather than explained in detail. The closing request to “compensate me” is also unclear in this context and may suggest payment rather than consideration of your request. Clarifying the schedule and developing the employer benefits would make the letter more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter follows a generally understandable order: it explains your reasons, gives a preferred work period, outlines benefits, and ends with a request. Connectors such as “Also,” “Therefore,” and “In Last” help signal relationships between ideas. However, the response is presented as one long paragraph, so the different purposes are not visually separated. Some links are mechanical or unclear: “Therefore” does not clearly follow from the preceding point, and “so that hours can be considered” is difficult to interpret. Use separate paragraphs for the reason and request, the proposed schedule, and the benefits, and make each transition express the relationship between ideas precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a range of vocabulary relevant to work and study, including “working hours,” “classes,” “skills,” “innovations,” and “employee performance.” This is enough to communicate the main message, but several word choices and collocations are noticeably unnatural or imprecise, which limits clarity and control. For instance, “make you sure” does not convey the intended meaning, “have excellence in my job” is awkward, and “compensate me” is unsuitable for asking a manager to consider a schedule change. Aim for conventional professional expressions and choose words that state your meaning directly. More precise phrasing would also help distinguish the benefits to the company from benefits to your own performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, including clauses explaining reasons and outcomes, as in “after working for several hours, I become tired.” However, errors in sentence construction, tense, articles, and punctuation are frequent enough to make some sentences awkward or unclear. Examples include “a issue,” “I wanted to make you sure,” and “I am presuming my studies further”; the sentence beginning “I would prefer to be working” also shifts awkwardly into “I had my classes.” Commas are often placed before “that” or between clauses where they are not needed. Practise accurate article use, consistent verb forms, and shorter, clearly punctuated sentences before adding complex clauses.

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

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