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 Boss,

I hope you're doing well. I received an offer letter in the course named - 'Database Management'. I'm writing this letter to request a change in my current working schedule because of the mismatched timings.

As of now, I've been working for 40 hours per week and I would like to bring it down to 24 hours. As a result, instead of working five days a week, I could only work three days.

Being a software engineer of the company I would like to gain knowledge in handling databases with the help of this part-time course so that I could benefit the firm with my skills in the future. However, this could initially affect the working hours of the other employees and also could impact in the organization's reputation. But, after thoroughly practicing the sql queries and data structure within a few weeks there will be a significant growth seen in the company.

I hope you acknowledge this letter and I look forward to it

Best regards,

Harsh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state the reason for the request (part-time study), specify the desired hours (24 hours over three days), and explain the benefit to the employer (gaining database management skills). However, the development of the third point is slightly contradictory; you mention that your absence might negatively impact the company's reputation, which is an unnecessary admission that weakens your argument. To improve, focus more on the positive value you will bring to the team rather than highlighting potential disruptions. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal request to a manager, though the opening 'Dear Boss' is a bit informal.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter follows a logical structure, with each paragraph dedicated to a specific part of the task. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the request to the details and finally the justification. You use some cohesive devices such as 'As of now', 'As a result', and 'However' to link your sentences. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, though the final paragraph is quite brief. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between your studies and the company's growth is more seamlessly integrated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'mismatched timings', 'software engineer', and 'significant growth'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'I received an offer letter in the course', which is slightly unnatural; 'I have been accepted into a course' would be more precise. Additionally, 'impact in the organization's reputation' should be 'impact the organization's reputation'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'Being a software engineer of the company I would like to gain knowledge...'. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'I could only work three days' (which should be 'I would only be able to work') and 'I look forward to it' (which is incomplete; it should be 'I look forward to hearing from you'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. The errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the writing from being considered highly accurate.

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

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