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 Boss,

I am writing this letter regarding to request to reduce my working hours at the office starting from 1st November, 2026 to 28 February, 2026. I am starting course on 'an art of negotiation and communication skills' as a part time.

Usually, my working hours in office are typical 9-5. Likewise, schedule for this online tutoring sessions is starting from 4 pm - 8 pm. Therefore, I need to be prepared for that before 3.30 pm. So, I would like to request to schedule my timetable to work until 3 pm, stating from 9 am for those 4 months of span. Moreover, I will be ready to do any unfinished work of mine after my course.

Eventually, all my gains of skills and knowledge will be beneficial to our organization as it will help me to crack better deals quickly and more effectively to our company.

With Regards,

Ajaykumar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention the course title, you could have provided more detail on how the specific skills learned in the 'negotiation and communication' course would translate into tangible benefits for the company. The request is clear, but the overall development of the arguments could be more persuasive to ensure the employer is fully convinced of the value of your proposal.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the request. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Moreover', and 'Eventually' to link your ideas. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or are used in contexts where they do not fit perfectly, such as 'Eventually' to introduce a concluding benefit. Paragraphing is used correctly to separate the introduction, the request details, and the benefits. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure they flow more naturally within the sentences to improve the overall readability of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'beneficial to our organization' and 'effective' are appropriate for a business context. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'starting course on' (should be 'starting a course on') and '4 months of span' (should be 'a four-month period'). Additionally, 'crack better deals' is slightly informal for a formal letter; 'secure better deals' or 'negotiate more favorable agreements' would be more professional. Expanding your range of business-related collocations would help you reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For instance, 'regarding to request' is incorrect (should be 'regarding my request'), and 'as a part time' is grammatically incomplete (should be 'on a part-time basis'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositions, such as 'in office' instead of 'in the office'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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