Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-16

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 Mr. Paul,

I am writing to ask for a reduction in my work hours as I recently got enrolled in a part time course in the community college to study Advanced leadership Management.

Classes for this training holds every Tuesday from 8am to 4pm and on Thursdays from 1pm up on till 6pm. In my current work schedule, I am required to work during these hours.

I would suggest a change, so that I can have ample time for my studies. The Tuesdays duty could be changed to the 6pm to 6am shift rather than the current one while the Thursdays shift can be moved to Saturdays which was previously my day off.

In addition, the firm stands a chance to benefit from the knowledge I stand to acquire during the training period because I plan to take on more leadership and managerial roles immediately I am finished.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Sharon Pell.

Assistant project manager.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (enrolling in an Advanced Leadership Management course), specify the desired hours, and outline the benefits to your employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. To reach a higher band, ensure that the proposed schedule is described with absolute clarity; for instance, the phrase '6pm to 6am shift' is quite a significant change that could be explained with more professional nuance. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'In addition' and 'so that' to link ideas. To improve, try to vary your transition words further and ensure that the progression between the explanation of the course and the proposed schedule is smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure is coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'reduction', 'enrolled', and 'managerial roles' correctly. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'Classes... holds' (should be 'hold') and 'up on till' (which is informal and slightly awkward). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would push the score into the 8.0 range. Focusing on more precise professional collocations will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are a few grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement ('Classes... holds') and prepositional usage ('in the community college' should be 'at'). Additionally, 'immediately I am finished' is slightly awkward; 'as soon as I have finished' would be more natural. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring consistent accuracy in verb tenses will strengthen your performance.

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

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