Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear ,Summit Kumar

I am writing this latter to request you that I would like to reduce my working hours because of my current circumstances. There are my personal reasons behind this, that I am going to explain in the following latter .

The main reason of this is my parents want me to go back to university to complete my masters in social work Which can help me in future to make good money and the good thing is my parents are ready to pay all my program expenses so I do not need to worry about money anymore .

For the meantime ,I would prefer to work on the weekends because I have already received my schedule for the semester and I am completely pack for the weekdays also as you know I like to go out with the residence so my that requirement will be fulfill as we do all the outings on the weekends.

Once I will complete my program I might join the company as a full time social service worker to help residence in their daily financial and other tasks .

I look forward for your response on the matter

Thanks

Arjun Kumar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the preferred hours, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these points is somewhat uneven. The explanation regarding the 'residence' and the 'outings' is confusing and lacks clarity, making it difficult for the reader to understand the connection between your work and your studies. While the purpose is clear, the tone is slightly informal for a formal request to a boss. To improve, ensure that the benefits to the employer are more professionally articulated and that the logic behind your scheduling request is clearly explained.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally inaccurate. For example, the transition 'For the meantime' is used incorrectly, and the connection between sentences within paragraphs is sometimes weak. The referencing is also occasionally unclear, particularly when referring to 'the residence' and 'outings'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would help the flow of the letter significantly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of word-choice errors and spelling mistakes, such as 'latter' instead of 'letter' and 'pack' instead of 'packed'. The phrasing 'make good money' is too informal for a business letter. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary related to university and work, the range is limited. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise, formal vocabulary and double-check your spelling of common words.

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 impede clarity. Issues include incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'Once I will complete'), punctuation errors, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'request you that I would like'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of future tenses would be beneficial.

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