Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Manager,

I am writing to reuest for my work hours to be cut down because am going to school to study part time.

I would like my work hours to be cut down because am going back to study for my masters in Business adminstration and i can not work long hours anymore it will be clashing with my school schudule which is mostly everyday.

I would like to work the afternoon shifts from 3pm to 11pm that is an 8hours which i will be working from Monday to Friday and i would not be picking extra shifts.

Me going back to school to earn my Masters degree will the help the organizations in differents ways such as a proper organizational structure, proper budget planning and also how to present our company plans or projects to investors.

I would appreicate if i get a quick response.Thank you

Yours Faithfully

Banjo Tobi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: the reason for the request, the specific hours desired, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. The explanation of benefits is a bit generic, and the tone is slightly informal for a formal request to a manager. While the task requirements are met, the ideas could be expanded with more professional language and specific details to better persuade the employer. The structure is clear, but the overall tone needs to be more formal to be fully effective in a professional context.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the request to the specific hours and then to the justification. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and mechanical. For example, the transition between the request and the explanation is repetitive, and the letter lacks sophisticated linking words to connect ideas smoothly. Paragraphing is present but could be more distinct to separate the different sections of the letter. The flow is generally understandable, but the lack of varied cohesive devices makes the writing feel somewhat disjointed at times.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. There are several spelling errors, such as 'reuest', 'adminstration', 'schudule', and 'appreicate', which distract the reader. The range of vocabulary is basic, relying on simple phrases like 'cut down' and 'help the organizations'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise professional terminology, such as 'reduce my working hours', 'academic commitments', or 'contribute to the company's strategic objectives'. The current lexical range is sufficient for communication but shows limited control over more complex or formal vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles ('the' before 'Masters degree'), subject-verb agreement errors ('it will be clashing'), and run-on sentences that lack proper punctuation. For instance, the second paragraph is a long, poorly punctuated sentence that makes it difficult to follow. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and punctuation prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence boundaries and proofreading for basic errors would significantly improve the quality of your writing.

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

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