Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-18

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 Alex,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this letter regarding reducing my working hours. The reason behind this change is I would like to study part time.

I am planning to pursue a data analytics course, which would help me to develop my analytical skills. So, because of this, I want to reduce my working time.

The course timing would be Monday to Wednesday 8 am to 5 pm. So, I will be able to work from Thursday to Sunday. I would appreciate if you will allow to work following days.

In our organisation we do use recent data analytics software. So, this would also help me to put the knowledge which I get it from the course and might improve operational effeciency. That is the main reason I am planning to pursue this course and develop my skills in this field.

I hope to hear from you soon regarding this.

Regards,

Rohan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (a data analytics course), specify the desired working hours (Thursday to Sunday), and describe the benefit to the employer (improved operational efficiency). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To improve, you could expand slightly on the specific skills you hope to gain, as the current explanation is a bit brief. Overall, the response is well-focused and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'So' and 'In our organisation' to link ideas. However, the use of 'So' is repetitive and slightly informal for a professional letter. To reach a higher band, try using a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases, such as 'consequently,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition to this,' to improve the flow between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'operational efficiency' and 'pursue a course.' There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'working time' instead of 'working hours' and 'get it from the course' which is slightly informal. The spelling of 'effeciency' is incorrect. To improve, focus on using more precise professional collocations and ensure you proofread for spelling errors. Expanding your vocabulary to include more specific business-related terminology would also enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'I would appreciate if you will allow to work following days,' which should be 'I would appreciate it if you would allow me to work the following days.' Additionally, 'do use' is unnecessary emphasis. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more control over complex sentence construction and verb patterns. Increasing the variety of your sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will help you achieve a higher band.

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

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