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 Manager,

I am writing to inform you that I am unable to work for longer hours for a month because I have to give a BECE exam which is next month.

I am happy with my current designation as a pharmacy assistant but I have to become a Pharmacist due which I have to give this exam. I am really focused towards my ambition. To crack this exam, I have to study hard for longer days and nights. If I will continue doing longer working hours. I will unable to achieve my target. I would like to work from Monday to Thursday in the morning shifts and want to keep Fridays free so that I can get long weekend for the better study time.

In the company, as you are looking forward to hire more pharmacists, if I passed my exam I will get my license within three months and work with the company in the future.

I would appreciate that if you could reduce my working hours. I look forward to your prompt response.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours truly

Veerpal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and highlighting the benefits to the employer. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation of how the studies benefit the employer is a bit brief and could be expanded to show more professional foresight. Despite this, the purpose of the letter is clear, and the reader understands the request and the justification provided. The response meets all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of the request. There is a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. Transitions between sentences could be smoother; for example, the jump between the exam preparation and the request for specific hours feels slightly abrupt. While the overall structure is coherent, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas more naturally throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to communicate their needs clearly. There are some attempts at using specific terminology, such as 'designation' and 'license,' which is positive. However, there are instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'give a BECE exam' (usually 'take' or 'sit for' an exam) and 'longer days and nights' (which is slightly unnatural). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score. Improving collocations would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'due which I have to give this exam' (should be 'due to which'), 'If I will continue doing' (should be 'If I continue'), and 'I will unable to achieve' (missing 'be'). Punctuation is generally functional, though some sentence boundaries are unclear. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct verb tenses would be beneficial.

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