Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing to request to reduce my working hours as I would like to join accounting classes on part time basis.

As I informed you earlier that I am looking for part time courses to improve my accounting so, finally I am able to get enrolled in a course at UBC. I have my classes starting at 4 pm on Mondays and weekends.I would not able to work 35 hours for next couple of weeks.

I would like to inform you that I am not able to do any shift after 4 pm on Mondays and Weekends. I have to leave early as it would take me almost an hour and 30 minutes by transit to get to the university.

This course is definitely going to benefit to my work as well as I can help the accountant to make pay checks and counting hours. As a result, you can save money to hire a professional from outside. I would make sure to complete my jobs in my working hours.

Looking forward to hear from you soon.

Yours Faithfully

Manmeet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention the benefit of helping with paychecks, this could be expanded to explain how your specific accounting knowledge would improve efficiency or accuracy in the office. The letter is clear and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'As a result' and 'In addition' (implied), though the flow could be improved with a wider variety of linking words. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. To reach a higher band, ensure that transitions between sentences are smoother and less repetitive in structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'enrolled', 'accounting classes', and 'professional'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'benefit to my work' (should be 'benefit my work') and 'counting hours' (which is slightly vague). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band score. Expanding your use of collocations related to professional requests would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I would not able to' (missing 'be'), 'benefit to my work' (unnecessary preposition), and 'Looking forward to hear' (should be 'hearing'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on verb patterns and ensuring that auxiliary verbs are used correctly in your complex sentences.

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

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