Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-09

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 Ma'am,

I hope you are doing well.

I would like you to reduce my working hours so I can complete my part-time study. I want to complete my course during my free hours. While doing a job from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, I didn't have any spare time to complete my assignments and work assigned by my professor. I also have to join online classes that are necessary to get my overall participation marks. I would like to work from Monday to Friday and need a day off on Saturdays. I would like to leave work a little early on Mondays as I have online classes on that. As I am studying business management, it will later allow me to help you to grow our business. I don't have much knowledge about work right now. After completing my studies, it will be more beneficial for us to grow our business. I hope you will understand and will accept my request. 88y

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain the need to reduce hours for study, specify the desired schedule, and describe the potential benefits to your employer. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation of how your studies will benefit the employer is repetitive, stating 'help you to grow our business' twice in close succession. To improve, you should provide more specific examples of how business management skills could be applied to your current workplace. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a manager, though the inclusion of '88y' at the end is an irrelevant error that should be avoided.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is coherent and follows a logical progression. You move from the purpose of the letter to the specific request and finally to the benefits. However, the paragraphing is insufficient; the entire body of the letter is contained in a single block. Using separate paragraphs for each bullet point would significantly improve the structure and readability. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'While', 'As', and 'After', but they are somewhat repetitive. Incorporating a wider variety of linking words and phrases would help the flow of your writing and make the transitions between ideas feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your request clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'assignments', 'participation marks', and 'business management'. However, the range is limited, and there is a reliance on simple phrasing. For example, 'I don't have much knowledge about work right now' is quite informal and lacks precision. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise collocations and less common vocabulary related to professional requests and academic study. The repetition of 'grow our business' also indicates a need for a broader range of synonyms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the use of 'While doing a job...' and 'As I am studying...'. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'work assigned by my professor' (missing article) and 'on that' (referring to Monday, which is slightly awkward). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. You should focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and using articles correctly. Additionally, ensure that your sentences are punctuated accurately to maintain a professional tone throughout your correspondence.

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

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