Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-24

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 6.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this to make a request to minimise my working hours in the month of August. As you know I am doing level 2 of Early Education Assistant through distant learning. Next month my final exams are going to start. To score well, now its high time to utilize some extra time in studies.

I will really appreciate you if you could give me morning shift from 6.30 a.m to 2 p.m so that I can prepare for my exams. Moreover you can reduce my break to half hour.

I opt this course for my personal development so that with depth knowledge of early childhood education I can contribute more in the overall development of my children. High professional degree in this field helps for your company as well.

I would really appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Sandeep kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the specific hours desired, and the benefits to the employer. However, the response is slightly under the 150-word minimum, which impacts the development of ideas. The explanation of benefits is somewhat brief and could have been expanded to better persuade the employer. While the tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, the brevity prevents a fully developed response. To improve, ensure you expand on how your studies specifically add value to the company, such as mentioning specific skills you will bring back to the workplace.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the request. There is a clear opening and closing. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited and occasionally mechanical. For example, the transition between the request for hours and the benefits to the employer could be smoother. The use of linking words like 'Moreover' is helpful, but the overall flow would benefit from a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect sentences more naturally. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be more cohesive.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'minimise my working hours' and 'score well' are functional but basic. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'depth knowledge' (should be 'in-depth knowledge') and 'High professional degree' (should be 'A higher professional qualification'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise collocations and a wider range of professional vocabulary related to workplace requests and educational development. The current range is sufficient to convey the message, but it does not demonstrate a high level of flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I will really appreciate you if you could give me' (should be 'I would really appreciate it if you could grant me') and 'now its high time' (should be 'it is high time'). Additionally, there are punctuation and article errors, such as 'in the overall development of my children' (which seems slightly off-topic as the focus should be on the employer's children or the school's students). While these errors do not prevent communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score.

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