Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-20

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 to formally request the reduction of my working hours from this fall. I am starting my Part-time MBA course in Marketing and Media Analytics.

As I am enrolled in a part-time course, I need to dedicate my half of the time for study. With Full-time work it is challenging to manage both at the same time.

For the fall, My Most of the classes are in Mornings from 8 am to 12 pm. Apart from commute, I am available to work Moday to Friday afternoons from 2pm.

The Marketing and Media Analytics will not only help me edge my career but This course is mainly design to follow the latest market trends and media presence. I can also incorporate the market research in use to the company where social media platforms became the means of advertisments.

I am looking forward for your response.

Kind Regards,

S

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the reason for the request (MBA studies), specified the desired working hours (Monday to Friday afternoons), and described the benefits to the employer (incorporating market research and social media trends). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. To reach a higher band, ensure that the benefits to the employer are developed with slightly more detail, perhaps by explicitly linking your new skills to specific company goals or projects, which would make the argument more persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body, and closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in addition to this'). While the paragraphing is sufficient, the flow between the second and third paragraphs feels slightly abrupt. Improving the transition between your study schedule and the benefits to the company would enhance the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'formally request', 'incorporate', and 'market trends'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'edge my career' (which is not a standard idiom; 'advance my career' would be better) and 'design to follow' (should be 'designed to follow'). Additionally, there are minor errors in capitalization, such as 'Moday' and 'Mornings'. To improve, focus on using more precise professional collocations and proofreading for minor spelling and capitalization slips.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For instance, 'I need to dedicate my half of the time for study' is awkward; 'dedicate half of my time to my studies' would be more natural. You also have issues with article usage ('the' before 'Marketing and Media Analytics' is unnecessary) and prepositional phrases ('looking forward for' should be 'looking forward to'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score.

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

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