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 Sir,

I writing to request a reduction in my working hours so that i can study part-time and improve my professional qualifications.

I have recently enrolled in a part-time course related to my field, which requires me to attend classes twice a week and spend additipnal time completing assignments. I believe this course will help me develop new skills and stay up to date with the latest industry practices.

Therefore, I would be grateful if my working hours could be reduced from 40 hours to 30 hours per week. I would prefer to work from Monday to Thursday, 9;00 a.m to 4;00 p.m , while keeping Friday free for my classes and study.

I am confident that the knowledge and skills i gain from this course will benefit our company. I will learn more efficient working methods, improve my problem- sloving skills. As a result, I will be able to contribute more effectively to the team and provide better service to our clients.

I hope you will consider my request favourably. Thank you for your time and understanding. I look forward to your postive response.

Yours Sincerely,

Hani

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 your request, specified the desired working hours, 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, providing a clear justification for the request. The letter follows the required structure and maintains a consistent, professional focus throughout. You have met all the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph serving a distinct purpose. You use appropriate paragraphing to separate the introduction, the request details, the benefits, and the closing. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'As a result', and 'In addition' (implied) are used to link ideas effectively. The progression of information is smooth and easy to follow. The letter flows well from the initial request to the final call to action, demonstrating a clear and coherent structure throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal business context, such as 'enrolled', 'professional qualifications', and 'contribute effectively'. There are a few minor errors, such as 'additipnal' (spelling) and 'problem-sloving' (spelling/hyphenation). However, these do not impede communication. You use words accurately to convey your meaning, and the tone is consistently professional. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common vocabulary related to professional development.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'I writing' (missing auxiliary verb 'am') and the inconsistent use of punctuation in time formats (e.g., '9;00 a.m'). Additionally, there is a minor error with the lowercase 'i' in 'i gain'. Despite these occasional slips, the majority of your sentences are error-free and clear. The punctuation and grammar are generally sufficient to convey your message without difficulty, showing a good level of control.

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