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 Mr Rahim

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to request a few changes in my schedule. I am thinking to start part time french course for which I require cutting down my working hours.

Firstly, I would like to mention that I can only work 30 hours per week as I need to focus on my studies. In addition, 7 hours shift will be fine and I need 3 days off.

Secondly, I can only show up for shift in afternoons. This is because I will be having classes from Monday to friday 9:00 Am - 2:00 pm.

Finally, I would appreciate it if you could change my schedule and hours according to my avaliability. This course will not only built my knowledge of subject but also contribute to your business as I will be able to talk in french with african custumers.

Thank you for your understanding. I look forward to your reply.

yours sincerely,

Raji

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt: you explained the reason for the request, specified the desired hours, and described the benefit to the employer. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat brief. For instance, while you mention the benefit of speaking French to customers, expanding slightly on how this could increase sales or improve client relations would have made the argument more persuasive. Overall, the response 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. You have used basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Finally' to structure your points. While these are effective, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words or referencing techniques. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different requirements of the task. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the beginning.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your request clearly. You use some topic-specific language like 'schedule', 'part-time', and 'availability'. However, there are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'french' (should be capitalized as 'French'), 'avaliability' (spelling error), and 'built' (should be 'build'). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common vocabulary related to professional requests, such as 'accommodate', 'mutually beneficial', or 'professional development'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'I am thinking to start' (should be 'I am thinking of starting') and 'african custumers' (should be 'African customers'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and capitalization errors, such as 'monday to friday' and '9:00 Am'. While these errors are present, they do not impede the overall meaning of your letter. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent capitalization of proper nouns.

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

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