Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-15

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 Cathy

I am writing letter to you to request for lesser working hours because of my part time studies.

The prominent reason for reduction in hours is my study. when I work all days and long hours, it impact my education. I could not focus on my class tests.

I would like more night shifts. It could help me to attend all lectures. In addition to this, I prefer eight hours shifts rather than twelve hours shifts. Long hours work make my body lethargic and exhausted.

I am happy to inform you that I am pursuing footcare certificate. After completion, i can apply for foot care nurse position in this facility. It is good for residents because they can get done foot care on proper time.

I want to apologise for inconvience and waiting for your response

Regards,

Prabhleen Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the preferred hours, and the benefits to the employer. However, the response is under the 150-word minimum, which negatively impacts the score. The development of ideas is somewhat basic; for instance, the explanation of how the study benefits the employer is clear but could be expanded with more professional detail. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though the lack of a formal closing (e.g., 'Yours sincerely') is a minor omission. To improve, ensure you expand on your points to meet the length requirement and provide a more professional structure.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. For example, 'In addition to this' is used correctly, but other transitions are missing or repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother. Paragraphing is used, but the letter lacks a clear opening and closing structure expected in formal correspondence. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring a more natural flow between sentences would help raise this score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'lesser working hours' (should be 'fewer') and 'get done foot care' (should be 'receive foot care'). The student attempts to use specific terminology like 'footcare certificate' and 'lethargic', which is positive. However, the range is limited, and there are minor errors in word choice that occasionally affect the naturalness of the expression. Expanding your vocabulary to include more professional and precise terms would enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'I am writing letter to you' (missing article), 'it impact my education' (subject-verb agreement), and 'Long hours work' (should be 'Long working hours'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and capitalization errors (e.g., 'i can apply'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. Focusing on subject-verb agreement, articles, and basic sentence construction will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.