Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-07

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 Andy,

I am writing to request a reduction in working hours because I recently enrolled in part-time studies. I am doing Business Administration course in Project Management at Yorkville University. I can work four days a week, Monday to Friday, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. On weekends, I can go to university so that I can focus on my studies. After my work on weekdays, I can do my studies and improve my knowledge in this course.

These part- time studies would benefit my employer because I can concentrate on my work and earn money to fulfill my needs and pay my expenses. Moreover, these courses can improve my problem-solving and business management skills, time management, and confidence. After this course, I want to do a PNP course in order to build my career. Thank you for your consideration. I am looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Thank you,

Amanpreet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the reason for the request, specified the desired working hours, and described the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of how your studies benefit the employer is slightly repetitive and focuses more on personal gain than professional value to the company. To achieve a higher band, ensure that the benefits to the employer are more explicitly linked to the company's productivity or specific business goals rather than just your personal skill development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure with a clear opening and closing. Paragraphing is used to separate the request from the justification, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'because', but the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. Some transitions could be smoother to improve the overall progression of ideas. For instance, the connection between your study schedule and your work availability could be better integrated to show a more professional tone.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your request clearly. You use some relevant business-related terms like 'Business Administration' and 'Project Management'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'do a PNP course' or 'fulfill my needs'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and a wider variety of professional vocabulary to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as missing articles ('doing Business Administration course') and minor punctuation issues. You have good control over basic sentence patterns, but your use of more complex structures is limited and occasionally results in minor errors. Focusing on article usage and ensuring subject-verb agreement will help you achieve a higher score in this area.

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.