Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-06

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)

Dear Tim,

With due respect. I am working as an Automotive Apprentice in your dealership which is located in the city of Brampton. I am writing this letter to bring into your attention that I am planning to pursue advance level of education in an Automotive field and I would like to request you to adjust my schedule according to my study hours.

At the onset, let me explain to you why I want to reduce my working hours. As far as my schedule is concerned, I have to attend classes four days in a week in-person and the timings are from 9am to 4pm. It would be extremely hard for me to attend my classes as well as to manage full time job at the same time.

Further, I would like to mention which hours I would like to work. As my classes are four days in a week so I will be available to work from Thursday to Sunday. Not only working part-time will help me to manage my expense but also I will stay in touch to learn new things from my colleagues.

Finally, let me describe how my part-time studies would benefit this company. By completing advance studies in an Au

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt, explaining your reasons, proposing a schedule, and outlining the benefits to your employer. However, the letter is incomplete as it cuts off abruptly in the final paragraph. This prevents the full development of the final point regarding how your studies benefit the company. To achieve a higher band, ensure you complete your thoughts and provide a formal closing. The tone is generally appropriate for a professional request, though the opening 'With due respect' is slightly unusual in this context; 'Dear Tim' is sufficient.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each addressing a specific part of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices such as 'At the onset', 'Further', and 'Finally' to guide the reader. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or misused; for example, 'At the onset' is not typically used to introduce the first body paragraph in a letter. The flow between sentences is generally clear, but the abrupt ending significantly disrupts the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'Automotive Apprentice', 'pursue', and 'adjust my schedule'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'bring into your attention' (should be 'bring to your attention') and 'manage full time job' (missing an article). While you attempt to use more formal language, some phrasing is slightly unnatural. Expanding your range to include more precise collocations related to professional requests would help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'four days in a week' (should be 'four days a week') and 'manage my expense' (should be 'expenses'). Additionally, there are minor issues with articles and prepositions throughout the text. While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.