Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Josh,

I am writing to formally request your assistance in reducing my working hours at the job, as I need to focus on my studies for the part time course at Laurentian University.

Currently, as I want to focus on my practical skills, I have booked remote classes. Also, I have the examinations starting next week; hence, I need some time to prepare for the exams as well.

I think that evening shifts will be suitable for me as my online classes are in the afternoon. On top of that, the timing for the exams at the university will be in the morning session.

Part-time studies will bring a lots of valuable qualities such as analysing the requirements of the customer by checking the database and automatically ordering the inventory based on the requirements.

I trust that you will give this matter your immediate attention. Your cooperation in this regard is greatly appreciated.

Yours faithfully,

Anshu Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You explained your need to reduce hours for study, specified your preferred evening schedule, and described the potential benefits to your employer. However, the development of the third point is slightly weak. While you mention 'analysing the requirements of the customer,' the connection between your studies and the specific benefit to your employer could be more clearly articulated to show how these skills directly add value to your current role. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a manager, though the structure could be more persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Currently,' 'Also,' and 'On top of that' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the start of the fourth paragraph is slightly abrupt in its transition from the previous discussion of exam timings. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking phrases to create a smoother flow between your personal needs and the professional benefits you are offering to the company.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. You use some relevant professional terms like 'formally request,' 'remote classes,' and 'inventory.' There are a few minor inaccuracies, such as 'bring a lots of valuable qualities,' which should be 'bring a lot of' or 'provide many.' Additionally, 'the job' is slightly vague; 'my current position' would be more professional. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating more precise collocations would help elevate your score to a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow. There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'the timing for the exams... will be in the morning session' (which is slightly wordy) and the aforementioned 'a lots of.' Punctuation is generally accurate, and your control over sentence structure is sufficient to ensure that your message is communicated without any confusion. To improve, focus on refining subject-verb agreement and reducing wordiness in your complex sentences.

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

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