Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Mr. Henry,

Hope you are doing well. I appreciate your feedback on my performance, as discussed in our last meeting. I am writing this letter to request you regarding my changes in working hours because of my part-time studies.

Firstly, I would like to explain that, I want to pursue my masters degree in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to move my career's direction from Software Developer. I did some research about different universities and found University of Toronto offers the best online part-time course. Unfortunately, upon further inquiry I was asked to take the classes only during weekdays which clashes with our working hours, so I request you to reduce my working hours by two hours each day, Monday to Friday, 12 PM to 6 PM instead of 10 AM to 6 PM.

Furthermore, after completing my one year course, I would be eligible for AI/ML Engineer positions which is growing enourmously in our Information Technology field, as well as in our organisation. I expect to make some useful contributions in our organisation's growth.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

John

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (pursuing a Master's degree), specify the desired hours (12 PM to 6 PM), and articulate the benefits to the employer (gaining an AI/ML engineer). The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a manager. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, ensuring the reader understands the purpose and the logic behind your request. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail on how the specific skills gained in the course will be applied to current company projects.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', and 'instead of' to link ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the explanation of the study from the request for hours and the benefits to the company. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. To improve, ensure that referencing is always precise; for example, 'which is growing enormously' refers to the position, but the phrasing could be tighter to avoid ambiguity.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary suitable for a professional context, such as 'pursue', 'inquiry', and 'contributions'. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'request you regarding my changes' (which should be 'request a change to my working hours') and 'move my career's direction' (which is slightly unnatural). The spelling of 'enourmously' is incorrect. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly, incorporating more precise professional collocations would elevate the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional-like structure in the second paragraph. There are some grammatical slips, such as the unnecessary comma after 'that' in 'I would like to explain that, I want to...' and the awkward phrasing 'request you to reduce my working hours by two hours each day... 12 PM to 6 PM instead of 10 AM to 6 PM'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more consistent control over sentence construction and punctuation to reach the higher bands.

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

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