Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-31

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 8.0)

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am writing to request a reduction in my writing hours as I have been recently enrolled in a Office administration course. This course is important for my professional development, and I need additional time to complete my assignments and attend the classes.

I would be grateful If my schedule could be reduced to 24 hours per week. Ideally, I would like to work only in morning time, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday to Friday. This would allow me to attend evening classes and I can get sufficient time for my studies.

I believe that my studies will also benefit the company. The course covers areas such as project management, communication skills, and many other things. By getting this knowledge and skills and giving it to my company, I will be able to contribute more effectively to my team and improve my overall performance at work.

I hope you will consider my request favorably. Thankyou for your understanding, and I look forward to discussing this matter with you.

Your Sincerely,

Gaganpreet Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the reason for the request (enrolling in an Office administration course), specified the desired working hours (24 hours per week, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and articulated how the employer would benefit from your studies. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands your position and the value you intend to bring back to the company. The response is well-structured and fulfills all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use appropriate paragraphing and basic cohesive devices such as 'This course', 'Ideally', and 'I believe that'. While the flow is smooth, the use of linking words is somewhat straightforward. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect sentences more fluidly, but the current structure is perfectly adequate for a formal letter of this nature.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'professional development', 'contribute more effectively', and 'discussing this matter'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'writing hours' instead of 'working hours' and 'getting this knowledge' which is slightly informal. However, these do not impede communication. You successfully use topic-specific vocabulary related to the workplace and education. To improve, focus on more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing like 'many other things' by using more descriptive alternatives.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and grammatically sound. There are a few minor errors, such as 'I would be grateful If' (capitalization error), 'in morning time' (missing article), and 'Your Sincerely' (incorrect form of 'Yours'). Despite these occasional slips, your control over grammar is generally good, and the meaning is never obscured. The punctuation is mostly accurate, and the sentence variety is sufficient to maintain the reader's interest throughout the letter.

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