Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours as i would like to undertake part time course alongside my current job.I believe this course will help me improve my professional skills and improve my future career prospects.

Ideally I would like to work four days a week from Monday to Thursday 9:00am to 5:00pm.This arrangement would allow me to attend my classes on Fridays and have enough time to complete my coursework.I assure you that I will continue to fulfil all my responsibilities efficiently during my working hours.

i also believe that my studies would be helpful for the company in the long run.the skills and knowledge i learn from the course can be used in my current job ,which will help me work better and more efficiently. in addition ,i will be able to bring new ideas and up-to-date knowledge to my role ,which can improve my overall performance.

i would be greatful if you consider my request.

yours faithfully

Anu Chawla

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (part-time study), specify the desired working hours (Monday to Thursday, 9:00am to 5:00pm), and articulate the benefits to the employer (improved skills and new ideas). The tone is appropriate for a formal business letter, and the purpose is clear from the outset. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the specific nature of the course or the direct application of the skills to your current role to provide more depth to your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a specific purpose. There is a clear progression of ideas from the request to the logistics and finally the benefits. You use some cohesive devices such as 'in addition' and 'this arrangement', which help the flow. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic. To improve, you could vary your linking words and ensure that transitions between sentences are smoother, as some parts feel a bit mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and conveys your meaning clearly. You use some relevant professional terminology such as 'professional skills', 'career prospects', and 'responsibilities'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'greatful' instead of 'grateful'. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common vocabulary related to professional development and workplace negotiations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several recurring grammatical errors, particularly with capitalization (e.g., 'i' instead of 'I') and punctuation (e.g., missing spaces after commas and periods). These errors are frequent enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic mechanical errors and try to integrate a wider variety of complex sentence structures, such as using conditional clauses or relative clauses, to demonstrate greater control.

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

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