Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Mr John,

I am writing to inform you that i got admitted to the University of Leicester for a part time program and would like to discuss reducing my work hours to enable me work and study at the same time.

The program runs for about a year and although most of the classes will be virtual, i am also required be be present on Mondays, and Wednesdays. I currently work the dayshifts on these days and would like to request a night shift to enable me meet my required study hours. I would like to change my 7am- 7pm shift to a 7pm to 7am . I promise to be as productive as i have always been and make sure that my studies do not affect my work.

Additionally, the program i got into will be of great benefit to the organisation. I will be studying Clinical leader ship and this will help improve my leadership and managerial skills and help me function better as the team leader and increase productivity.

Yours faithfully,

Sharon Tim

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (part-time study), specify the desired shift change (7am-7pm to 7pm-7am on Mondays and Wednesdays), and articulate the benefits to the employer (improved leadership and managerial skills). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands your situation and the value you bring to the organization. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail on how the specific course content will be applied to your current workplace tasks.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect of the request, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use some cohesive devices such as 'although', 'additionally', and 'this will help', which effectively link your ideas. However, the transition between the shift request and the promise of productivity could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your meaning clearly. Terms like 'virtual', 'productive', 'managerial skills', and 'organization' are used correctly. There are some minor issues with word formation, such as 'Clinical leader ship' (should be 'Clinical Leadership') and 'i' (which should always be capitalized as 'I'). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, incorporating a few more sophisticated collocations or topic-specific terms related to professional development would help elevate the score. Overall, the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the context of a formal business request.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing to inform you that...' and '...although most of the classes will be virtual, i am also required...'. However, there are several recurring grammatical errors, particularly the failure to capitalize the personal pronoun 'I' and minor punctuation errors (e.g., '7am- 7pm'). There is also a missing preposition in 'required be be present' (should be 'required to be present'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic mechanical errors would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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