Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir

I am writing to request for reduced working hours so that I can attend classes to pursue my Master's degree in electrical engineering. I am requesting because my classes will take place from 5 p.m., so I have to leave office at 3:30 p.m since my university is 20 Kilometers from here and it will take one and a half hour to reach.

For the above reason I would like to work from 8 am. to 3:30 pm. instead of 9 am. to 5 pm. from next week. Though I would be working less hours, I am assuring that all tasks will be completed within that period and if required I will come to office on holidays without claiming any extra payment.

In addition, I would like to mention that this degree will let me capable for future projects of our company since there is a advanced course on "Protection study" will be taught in this course.

So I would request you to allow me to work reduced hours and oblige me thereby.

Your Faithfully

Jamil

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a boss. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, the explanation of how the 'Protection study' course benefits the company is a bit vague. To reach a higher band, you could expand on how this specific knowledge will directly improve your performance or contribute to future company projects. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the requirements are met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'For the above reason', 'Though', and 'In addition' to link your points. Paragraphing is used to separate the request, the details, and the justification, which makes the letter easy to follow. However, the transition between the request and the justification could be smoother. The use of cohesive devices is functional but occasionally feels a bit mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the flow between sentences is more natural.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'pursue', 'oblige', and 'completing tasks'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'let me capable' (should be 'make me capable' or 'enable me') and 'there is a advanced course' (should be 'there is an advanced course'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Focusing on more natural collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing to request...' and 'Though I would be working less hours, I am assuring that...'. There are several grammatical errors, including 'request for reduced' (should be 'request reduced'), 'leave office' (should be 'leave the office'), and 'working less hours' (should be 'working fewer hours'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors throughout. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles to improve accuracy.

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

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