Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-01

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 7.5)

Dear Mr. Paul,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to you to discuss about shortening my working hours as I need to start my study from next month.

I am starting my certificate course from September 2nd (Next month) and because of that I would not be able to work full-time. Instead I would like to work less hours than before.

My classes are in the evening during weekdays. I will appreciate if you can schedule me during the morning shifts. I can start as early as 7:00 in the morning, and is available till 2 in the afternoon.

As my program is Project Management, I will be learning different aspects related to project handling, which I can apply to my job profile and it will boost business not in financial means only but in terms of reputation as well.

Kindly revert back at your earliest convenience so that we can manage the upcoming work schedule in advance.

Yours sincerely

Harpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the reason for the request (a certificate course), specified the desired working hours (morning shifts, 7:00 to 14:00), and described the benefits to your employer (applying project management skills to improve business and reputation). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands your situation and the value you bring. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between your studies and the specific benefits to the company is slightly more detailed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Instead', 'As', and 'so that' to link your ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words or transition phrases to connect sentences more fluidly. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'certificate course', 'financial means', and 'earliest convenience'. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is somewhat standard. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise or sophisticated collocations. For example, instead of 'discuss about shortening', 'request a reduction in' would be more professional. There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication, but the range is limited to common business terminology. Expanding your repertoire of professional phrases will enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally effective. However, there are some minor grammatical inaccuracies. For instance, 'discuss about' is redundant (it should be 'discuss'), and 'is available' lacks a subject (it should be 'I am available'). Additionally, 'less hours' should be 'fewer hours' as hours are countable. Despite these slips, your meaning is always clear, and the errors do not interfere with the reader's understanding. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of quantifiers like 'fewer' versus 'less'.

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