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 boss,

I hope everything is going well. I am writing this mail because I would like to minimize my working hours in the company. Since I am starting a part time study related to computer science, I was wondering if you can change my hours. Instead of 9 am to 4 pm, I would like to work from 8 am to 2 pm. The reason is all my classes are in the evening from 3 to 6 pm. This would reduce my working ours and I would be able to attend the classes as well. As a result, I will not only obtain a certificate but also enhance my computer skills. I have seen a job posting for senior computer data analyst which I would like to apply. This would also benefit the company.

Your help and understanding regarding this matter would be really appreciated. Please let me know if anything else is needed.

Yours truly,

Utsav

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, specify the desired working hours, and describe the benefits to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the development of the final point regarding the benefits to the employer is slightly underdeveloped. While you mention applying for a senior role, explaining how the specific skills gained from your studies would immediately add value to your current team would have strengthened the argument. 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 'Instead of', 'The reason is', and 'As a result' to link your sentences effectively. Paragraphing is present, though the letter is quite short, which makes the structure feel a bit compressed. To reach a higher band, you could use a wider range of cohesive devices to improve the flow between sentences and ensure that the transition between your request and the justification is smoother. The referencing is clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'minimize', 'certificate', and 'enhance' correctly. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'part time study' (should be 'part-time studies') and 'working ours' (a spelling error for 'hours'). The vocabulary is functional and allows for clear communication, but it lacks the variety and precision of less common lexical items that would be expected at a higher band level. Focusing on more precise collocations would improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I was wondering if you can change my hours' and 'This would not only obtain a certificate but also enhance my computer skills'. There are some grammatical slips, such as the spelling error 'ours' instead of 'hours' and the missing article in 'for senior computer data analyst' (should be 'for a senior...'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, ensure you check for subject-verb agreement and article usage, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical forms.

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

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