Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-12

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 Sir,

I am writing this letter to request a reduction in my working hours. I would like to study part-time in order to enhance my knowledge, which I believe will be beneficial for both my future and the company I work for.

I would like to work from 8 AM to 12 noon, allowing me the rest of the day to attend college and pursue my studies. I am planning to take a business course offered by my college during the evening hours. Adjusting my office hours would enable me to take this course.

As I mentioned earlier, this course will enhance my skills and provide me with valuable insights on expanding business operations and managing expenses. It will also teach me effective strategies for allocating funds to products that could increase sales and how to better target consumers.

Additionally, I believe that my enrollment in this course will ultimately benefit your company as well.

Thank you for considering my request.

Yours faithfully,

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 motivation for reducing hours, specify the preferred schedule (8 AM to 12 noon), and articulate the benefits to the employer, specifically regarding business operations and expense management. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a superior. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, providing a logical flow that justifies your request. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail on how the specific business course content directly translates to your current daily responsibilities, further strengthening the persuasive nature of your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the request to the schedule, then to the benefits. You use cohesive devices such as 'As I mentioned earlier,' 'Additionally,' and 'which I believe' to link your thoughts effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between the request and the justification is easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, which demonstrates a good level of control over the structure of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message with precision. Phrases like 'enhance my knowledge,' 'pursue my studies,' and 'effective strategies' are used correctly and fit the formal context well. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate, it is generally standard. To achieve a higher score, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items related to business management, such as 'operational efficiency' or 'strategic resource allocation.' However, the current vocabulary is more than adequate for the task and does not impede communication in any way.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

Your writing shows good control over a variety of sentence structures. You successfully combine simple and complex sentences, such as 'I am writing this letter to request a reduction in my working hours' and 'Adjusting my office hours would enable me to take this course.' The grammar is accurate throughout, with no significant errors that hinder understanding. Punctuation is used correctly, and the tone is consistently formal. The sentences are well-constructed, and you demonstrate a solid grasp of verb tenses and modal verbs, which are essential for making polite requests in a professional setting.

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

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