Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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 this letter in regards to minimize my working hours owing to my part time academic commitments.

Actually, I wanted to pursue French classes from a long time. Due to my jam packed schedule I was unable to enroll. However, one of my friend got phenomenal outcome by taking French classes from a tutor based in my home time. I have opportunity to aquire knowledge and I want to grab this.

I work from 7 AM to 5:30 PM with includes overtime as well due this I do not get time to study. I would like to shorten my working hours so I can work on my linguistic skills. According to me, my shifts should be shorten to 9 AM to 4:30 PM.

Additionally, learning a new language is not only fruitful for me , but also it will bring new opportunities for our company. I would be able to deal with overseas clients especially from France and this will greatly expand our venture.

I would be extremely grateful if you would consider this matter in urgency. I am looking forward to hear back from you.

Your sincerely,

Rajpreet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state the reason for the request (French classes), specify the desired hours (9 AM to 4:30 PM), and explain the benefit to the employer (dealing with overseas clients). The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a boss. However, the development of ideas is somewhat brief. For instance, the explanation of how your studies benefit the company could be expanded with more specific details about how this would improve your current role. Despite this, all parts of the task are addressed, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Actually,' 'However,' and 'Additionally' to link your ideas. While the progression of ideas is generally clear, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'According to me,' which is not standard in formal correspondence. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the letter follows a standard structure for a formal request. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences feels more natural and less like a list of points.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'academic commitments,' 'phenomenal outcome,' and 'linguistic skills.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'in regards to minimize' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'in regard to minimizing.' Additionally, 'jam packed' is too informal for a letter to a boss, and 'home time' is unclear. While your meaning is always conveyed, the lack of precision in some areas prevents a higher score. Focusing on more formal collocations and avoiding informal idioms will help improve your lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is good. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. Examples include 'one of my friend' (should be 'friends'), 'shifts should be shorten' (should be 'shortened'), and 'looking forward to hear' (should be 'looking forward to hearing'). There are also minor issues with prepositions and verb forms, such as 'with includes overtime.' While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher band score. You should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice and gerunds after specific phrases.

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

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