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 Sir,

I am writing to request your assistance regarding a matter related to my working hours. I would like to bring this matter to your attention urgently because I have taken admission in part time digital marketing course therefore i will not be able to work full time.

Furthermore, My course timing is 5pm to 7pm so i will work 9am to 4pm from next week as my classes will start from Monday 10th July. In addition, this course will also beneficial for your company because this will help me to improve my marketing skills and teach me several strategies to how to make your business successful. if i complete this course i will contribute more efficiently in your recent projects. Therefore, i would appreciate it if you could reduce my working hours till my course completion.

I hope you will consider my situation and give me the response at your earliest convenience. I look forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely,

Yousra Ahmed

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (a digital marketing course), specify the desired working hours (9 am to 4 pm), and articulate the benefits to your employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the course and the company's success is developed with slightly more specific detail, rather than general statements about 'strategies'. Overall, the task is fully completed with a clear purpose.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'In addition', and 'Therefore' to link your ideas. However, the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, with the second paragraph containing the bulk of the information. To improve, consider splitting the second paragraph into two: one focusing on the schedule change and another on the benefits to the employer. This would improve the flow and make the letter easier to read. Referencing is generally clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'efficiently', 'convenience', and 'strategies'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'taken admission in', which is non-standard; 'enrolled in' would be more natural. Additionally, 'this course will also beneficial' is missing the verb 'be'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision required for higher bands. Expanding your use of collocations related to professional requests would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, there are issues with capitalization (e.g., 'i' instead of 'I'), missing verbs ('will also beneficial'), and punctuation errors, such as the run-on sentence in the first paragraph. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and capitalization will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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