Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-11-04

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You work for an international company. You have seen an advertisement for a training course which will be useful for your job.

Write a letter to your manager. In your letter

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to apply for a training course that I had recently found in an advertisement which will be beneficial for my job.

As a bank employee, I want to do a refresher course that will enhance my skills and boost my confidence. Due to this, I need flexible timing of my job to join this course.

Hence, The company may treat with me politely and provide me lineancy within my working hours. Additionaly, I expect accomodation from the company to manage my expenses for this course.

This training will provide me an opportunity to show my talent and explore more ways for better achievements. On the other hand, getting involved in such training courses will help me to get a part time job.

I would like to have your cooperation in this matter. I look forward for your response at the earliest. Thank You.

Yours Sincerely,

Kahkashan

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You identify a refresher course and explain that you need flexibility in your working hours and financial help, so the main points are present. However, the course itself is described only generally, and the benefits to your current job are not clearly explained. For example, “show my talent and explore more ways for better achievements” does not specify which work skills or duties would improve. The suggestion that the course will help you get “a part time job” is also not clearly relevant to your role at the company. Develop these points with concrete details, such as the course topic, schedule or cost, and how its skills would improve your banking work.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure: you introduce your request, discuss support, explain possible benefits, and close politely. Paragraph breaks help separate these points. However, the progression is not always clear. “Hence” introduces the request for support, but the connection between flexible hours, polite treatment and financial assistance is not fully explained. “On the other hand” signals contrast, although the idea about getting a part-time job does not clearly contrast with the previous sentence. Use linking phrases only when their relationship is accurate, and make each paragraph develop one clear point. A more direct sequence—course details, requested support, then specific workplace benefits—would make the letter easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for a formal request, including “refresher course,” “flexible timing” and “cooperation.” There is also an attempt to use more formal expressions such as “beneficial” and “opportunity.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unclear: “treat with me politely” does not express the support you need, and “accommodation” is not the natural term for help with course expenses. Spelling errors such as “lineancy,” “Additionaly” and “accomodation” also reduce accuracy. Choose precise workplace and training vocabulary, and check spelling carefully; this will make your request sound more natural and professional.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple sentences and longer structures, including the relative clause in “a training course that I had recently found” and the purpose phrase “to join this course.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical patterns are awkward or incomplete. For example, “I need flexible timing of my job” does not clearly express the arrangement you need, while “provide me lineancy within my working hours” has an unclear structure. The closing phrase “I look forward for your response” also uses the wrong preposition after “look forward.” Practise standard request patterns such as “I would be grateful if the company could…” and check prepositions and sentence construction.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.