Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-28

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)

I am writing this letter to you about reducing my working hour because as i am cook at your boston pizza restaurent and further i want to apply for permanent resident i which i want more point due to which i want to get red seal cook certificate for better opportunity and wage.

As i work 5 days in week to have 40 hours. But now i want to study hard for this certificate so now i am just able to work 3 days a week with 24 hour because of immigation restriction.

Moreover, If i complete this course then i will get well-paid jobs. Not only this i will able to get more knowledge about the cooking sector. Along with this, it will also helpful to fulfill my dream to open my own restaurent. If i do study part-time with full dedication then it will bring fruitfull result for my whole future.Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Gurjinder kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You explain that you want to study for a Red Seal cook certificate and give a proposed schedule of three days and 24 hours per week, so the reason for your request and preferred hours are present. However, the request is not clearly framed as a letter to your boss: there is no direct, polite request for approval, and the opening is difficult to follow. The benefit to the employer is also not explained. Instead, you focus on your own future prospects, such as getting a better-paid job and opening a restaurant. Develop a clear employer-focused benefit—for example, how the qualification could improve food preparation or service at the restaurant—and state the exact days or hours you are requesting.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the reason for writing, gives the proposed reduction in hours, and then discusses the course and its outcomes. Paragraph breaks help separate these points, and connectors such as “Moreover” and “Along with this” show an attempt to link ideas. However, the progression is not consistently clear because several ideas are crowded into long, loosely connected sentences, especially in the opening. Some linking phrases are repetitive or do not clarify the relationship between points, and the closing is attached to the final paragraph. Use one paragraph for the request and reason, one for the schedule, and one for the employer benefit; make each paragraph’s purpose explicit and connect ideas more precisely.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “working hours,” “certificate,” “part-time,” and “cooking sector,” which helps communicate the general subject. There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “permanent resident” and “well-paid jobs.” However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable and sometimes make the message harder to understand: “restaurent,” “immigation,” and “fruitfull” are examples. Some phrases are also unnatural, such as “get more point” and “bring fruitfull result.” Aim for accurate, natural collocations and check spelling carefully. More precise workplace vocabulary would also help you explain how your qualification could benefit your employer, rather than concentrating mainly on your personal plans.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the conditional “If I complete this course…” and the structure “Not only this…”. However, complex sentences are often faulty, and frequent errors in sentence construction and basic grammar can make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “because as i am cook” combines clauses incorrectly, while “As i work 5 days in week to have 40 hours” is not a complete, well-formed sentence. There are also problems with articles, capitalization, and verb forms, as in “i will able to get.” Practise writing complete sentences with one clear main clause, then add subordinate clauses accurately. Proofread for capital “I,” articles, and missing auxiliary verbs.

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

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