Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-05

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 6.0)

Respected Sir,

I am writing this letter to request for a reduction in my working hours due to my recent decision of pursuing my studies.

My usual shift is of 9 hours per day but I want this to be reduced to 6 hours per day as my classes will be held in the evening from 5 pm till 9 pm. This reduction in the working hours will allow me to study part time and get an official degree.

I totally understand that it would not be easy for you to make an exception and reduce my working hours but I believe that in the long run it will benefit you as well. I am doing business studies with a major in marketing and such studies will help me to come up and implement better marketing strategies for your business resulting in higher profits for the company.

I look forward to a positive response from your end.

Yours faithfully,

Ifra

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the reason for your request (pursuing studies), specified the desired hours (reducing from 9 to 6 hours), and articulated the benefit to your employer (implementing better marketing strategies). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the specific nature of your studies or provide a more detailed proposal on how you plan to manage your remaining responsibilities during the reduced hours, which would further develop your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'but', 'and', and 'as' to link your ideas. However, the transition between the request and the justification could be smoother. To improve, try using a wider range of cohesive devices (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in light of this') to connect your sentences more fluidly, rather than relying on simple conjunctions.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows you to communicate your request clearly. You use some relevant business-related terms like 'marketing strategies' and 'profits'. However, the range is somewhat limited and relies on fairly common phrasing. To achieve a higher score, incorporate more precise or sophisticated vocabulary related to professional communication, such as 'professional development', 'mutually beneficial', or 'accommodate'. Avoid repetitive phrasing like 'working hours' and try to vary your word choice throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a good control of basic sentence structures, and your meaning is always clear. There are some minor grammatical issues, such as 'request for a reduction' (the 'for' is unnecessary after the verb 'request') and 'decision of pursuing' (should be 'decision to pursue'). You rely mostly on simple and compound sentences. To improve, try to incorporate more complex structures, such as conditional sentences (e.g., 'If you were able to accommodate this request, I would be able to...') to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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