Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-11

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 7.5)

Dear Sam,

I am writing this letter to update my working hours as I have enrolled in a part-time course.

I recently took admission in a short part-time course on Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. Since the classes will be in the university campus, I have to allocate some extra time in commuting to the classes.

I would like to work in the evening hours and I am planning to take up the mid-day shifts which starts at 3 pm and end at 7 pm. Although my classes will end at 1 pm, I would like to allocate some time in preparing myself for work.

Would you be kind enough to consider my request? The course I took aligns well with the company's new European project. I would be able to help as an additional developer after completing this course. This will not only help the company by significantly reducing their hiring efforts but also they will have a trusted employee with excellent performance record.

Hoping for a prompt consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Achin Pal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (enrolling in an AI and Data Science course), specify the desired working hours (3 pm to 7 pm), and articulate the benefits to the employer (aligning with the European project and reducing hiring efforts). The tone is appropriate for a professional request, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, fulfilling the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph serving a distinct purpose. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the introduction to the explanation, the specific request, and finally the benefits. You use cohesive devices such as 'Although,' 'Since,' and 'not only... but also' to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sections of the letter. The flow is natural, and the relationship between the sentences is clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context, such as 'allocate,' 'aligns well,' and 'prompt consideration.' There are no significant errors in word choice that impede communication. While the vocabulary is functional and accurate, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or precise professional terminology to reach a higher band. For instance, 'took admission' is slightly unnatural; 'enrolled in' or 'started' would be more idiomatic in this context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over grammar and punctuation is generally strong. There are minor slips, such as 'which starts' (should be 'which start' to agree with 'hours') and 'they will have' (which is slightly redundant after 'help the company'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not interfere with the clarity of your message. You show a good command of complex sentence forms, which supports a solid score in this criterion.

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

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