Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-21

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

I am writing to formally decrease my working time period as now I want to do part time studies as well.

I want to inform you that recently I got registered myself in short term business management course. It is about 6 months long and my classes will be held from Monday to Thursday every week.

I would prefer to work on Saturday and Sunday mornings as I also need one whole day to spend on my studies for a best result. I want to work in the mornings if you can allow me as I will also get afternoons free to spend some quality time with my family and friends.

Talking about the benefits of this course, it will help me to gain theoritical knowledge and apply it in a real business environment which can further increase my efficiency in my job. In addition, as being fresher, my knowledge and skills can assist company to remain up to date in a competitive environment.

Thank you for your attention. I expect a response within 7 days.

Your faithfully,

Navjot Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explained the reason for the request (a business management course), specified the desired working hours (Saturday and Sunday mornings), and articulated the benefits to the employer (increased efficiency and updated skills). The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter, although the closing 'I expect a response within 7 days' is slightly blunt and could be softened to sound more professional. Overall, the ideas are relevant and well-developed, meeting the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter follows a logical progression, moving from the purpose of the letter to the specific request and finally the benefits. Paragraphing is used correctly to separate these distinct ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition' and 'Talking about', which help the flow of information. However, the transition between sentences could be smoother in some places. For instance, the opening sentence is a bit abrupt. Using more varied linking words would help to improve the overall cohesion and make the text feel more natural and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'formally', 'competitive environment', and 'theoretical knowledge'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'decrease my working time period' (which sounds slightly unnatural) and 'as being fresher' (which is grammatically incorrect and imprecise). While you successfully convey your meaning, the vocabulary is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I got registered myself' (should be 'I have registered for'), 'theoritical' (spelling error), and 'assist company' (missing article 'the'). Additionally, the closing 'Your faithfully' is incorrect; it should be 'Yours faithfully'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.