Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-30

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 hope this letter finds you in radiant health and the best of spirits. I am writing this letter to request you to decrease hours as I am planning to pursue further study.

Moreover, I have joined classes for French language which has become essential for students who want to pursue their career in business. Therefore, just now I have accomplished MBA program and I want to enhance the quality of this course. Thus, I have enrolled in French course, and I am unable to work full-time.

In addition, I can work on weekends only, as on these days I do not have any classes.

Apart from this, this additional skill not only will beneficial for me but it also has grate advantage for your company. Because often I need to talk with customers who can speak only French. Thus, after this I can handle with them.

Thank you for your considerations. I look forwards to your prompt action.

Yours faithfully,

Tabassum.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefit to the employer. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the explanation regarding the MBA and the French course is slightly confusing and could be more clearly articulated to show how they relate to your current role. To improve, ensure that your arguments are logically connected and fully explained to demonstrate a clear professional benefit to your employer.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your request. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Therefore', and 'In addition' to link your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. For example, the transition 'Thus, I have enrolled in French course' could be smoother. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the progression of ideas within each paragraph is more natural and less repetitive.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'pursue further study' and 'enhance the quality'. However, there are some noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'radiant health', which is overly flowery for a business letter, and 'grate advantage' (a spelling error for 'great'). Additionally, phrases like 'handle with them' are grammatically incorrect in this context. To improve, focus on using more precise business terminology and double-check the spelling of common adjectives.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the clarity of your message. Examples include 'request you to decrease hours' (missing 'my'), 'will beneficial' (missing 'be'), and 'I look forwards to' (should be 'forward'). While the meaning is generally understandable, these errors are persistent. To improve, pay closer attention to subject-verb agreement and the correct use of modal verbs and prepositions. Proofreading for basic sentence construction will help you achieve a higher score.

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