Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 Smith,

I am writing to inform you about my working hours, which I want to reduce, as I want to focus on my study. I am also open to accepting part-time or else night shifts.

However, I am going to start my graduation from next month. My college offers in-person classes only. For academic performance, 80% attendance is a must. To do so, I have minimised my working hours in the company.

Moreover, I would like to work in the evening hours or in the night shifts. My college time is from 9 to 4 for 5 days a week. I am also open to working on full-time weekends.

Additionally, if possible, you can check our college's website; they are teaching corporate deals, and strategy will accelerate our company's reputation and demand among marketing as well as the production area. I hope you understand the importance of my study to our company. I am open to discuss further with you. I hope you will accept my approval and adjust my working hours.

Yours Sincerely

Jhon Cena

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly state the reason for the request (part-time study), specify the desired hours (evenings/weekends), and explain the benefit to the employer (corporate strategy knowledge). However, the development of the final point is slightly vague; while you mention 'corporate deals' and 'strategy,' the connection to how this specifically helps the company could be more explicitly articulated to show a stronger professional benefit. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, though some phrasing, such as 'accept my approval,' is slightly unnatural in this context.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each serving a clear purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover,' 'Additionally,' and 'However' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition in the second paragraph regarding the 80% attendance requirement feels a bit abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but some sentences could be better connected to improve the overall flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different requirements of the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'accelerate,' 'reputation,' and 'minimised.' There are some instances of slightly awkward word choice, such as 'start my graduation' (usually 'begin my degree program') and 'accept my approval' (which is incorrect; you should ask for 'approval' or 'consideration'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and natural collocation expected at higher band levels. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'I am going to start my graduation from next month' and 'they are teaching corporate deals,' which sound slightly unnatural. The phrase 'I am open to discuss further with you' should be 'I am open to discussing this further.' Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. Punctuation is generally handled well, though some sentence structures could be refined for better grammatical control.

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

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