Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-17

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 hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter to request a reduction in my working hours so that I can pursue my part-time studies from next month.

I have recently enrolled in a part-time post-graduation certificate in management program from University of British Columbia. For complete this certification, I must attend 3 lectures per week in-person on weekdays. While attending classes, I could not able to work so I will be only available on weekends and Monday. I would prefer morning shift for these days from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., starting from October 1st. Apart from this, I would like to inform you that I have been done with my backlog files and delegated my current full-time project to my colleague.

In this certification, I will learn a variety of management subjects such six-sigma, project management and digital transformation which will improve my skills of handling my projects and eventually elevate delivery of project with higher quality. Additionally, I could add-on some other projects related to digital transformation, which I cannot handle in current situation.

I hope you understand my situation and do the needful changes in my schedule. Please let me know, if any additional documents or information required.

Regards

Ahs

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (part-time studies), specify the desired working hours (weekends and Monday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), and provide a logical argument for how the employer will benefit from your new skills. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, ensuring the reader understands the request and its professional value. No parts of the task are omitted, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset.

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 request, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use cohesive devices such as 'Apart from this,' 'In this certification,' and 'Additionally' to link ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be slightly smoother to improve the flow. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is logical throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'pursue my part-time studies,' 'delegated my current full-time project,' and 'elevate delivery of project' show a good command of professional language. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'For complete this certification' (should be 'To complete') and 'I have been done with' (should be 'I have finished'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent a higher score. Expanding your use of more sophisticated collocations would further enhance your lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical slips that occur throughout the letter, such as 'I could not able to work' (should be 'I will not be able to work') and 'such six-sigma' (should be 'such as Six Sigma'). Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and verb tense consistency. While these errors are noticeable, they do not cause difficulty for the reader or obscure the meaning of your request. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and modal verb usage will help improve your accuracy.

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

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