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 Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to request a reduction in my working hours as I am starting my Master's degree which is starting from this fall.

I recently received my offer letter from Harvard Business School to pursue Masters in Business Administration. The program is very suitable it requires me to be a part-time student. However, in order to attend my classes, I would require some reduction in my working hours.

I am planning to attend my classes in the evening batch. As the school is a little far from office, I would have to leave by 3. In that way, I can work in the day hours.

Part-time studies can help me improve my skills, broaden my knowledge and learn new business strategies. Eventually, I would be prepared to boost my productivity and pitch better polices that would benefit the company.

I hope you would provide necessary support for my studies.

Your Faithfully,

Kashish

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: the reason for the request, the specific hours requested, and the benefits to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the explanation of how the studies benefit the employer is quite general. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples of how the skills gained in an MBA program would be applied to your current role. Despite this, all parts of the task are covered, and the purpose of the letter is clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'However', 'In that way', and 'Eventually' to link your ideas. While the flow is generally smooth, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be more sophisticated. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall progression of ideas is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a solid band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'pursue', 'strategies', and 'productivity'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'evening batch' (which sounds slightly informal or academic-specific) and 'pitch better polices' (which is likely a typo for 'policies'). While you successfully convey your meaning, the vocabulary is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. The errors present do not impede communication, but they prevent the score from reaching the higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing this letter to request...' and 'As the school is a little far from office, I would have to leave by 3.' There are some minor grammatical slips, such as 'which is starting from this fall' (which is redundant) and 'far from office' (missing an article: 'the office'). Additionally, the closing 'Your Faithfully' is grammatically incorrect; it should be 'Yours faithfully'. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the grammar does not interfere with the reader's understanding of your request.

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

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