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 boss,

I hope you are doing well.

I am writing to you an email for reducing working hours because I am starting to study part -time.

I have started taking part- time classes in computer science in the evening around 5 o clock, so it is very difficult for me to manage time for my classes because my shift ends around 4 and I am always late for class.

I can start my shift at 7 am in the morning instead of 8 am . If I start my shift early, then I can get home on time. I can easily take the class without any issue .

Part -time classes are very important for my further goals because if I can get a promotion at work, that is beneficial for building my career. I hope you understand my situation. Let me know if you need any further information. I would appreciate your decision.

Thank you for your time

Kindly,

Smith

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the need to reduce hours, specify the desired shift change (7 am to 4 pm), and link your studies to potential career advancement. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a supervisor. To improve, you could expand slightly on how the computer science skills specifically benefit the employer, rather than focusing primarily on your own promotion. This would make the argument more persuasive and better developed, moving the response closer to a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic. You rely heavily on simple conjunctions like 'and' or 'because'. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and transition phrases, such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in order to ensure'. Additionally, the paragraphing is a bit fragmented; grouping the explanation of the schedule and the benefits to the employer into more cohesive blocks would improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You use common phrases like 'manage time' and 'very important'. While these are accurate, they do not demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. To achieve a higher score, incorporate more specific professional terminology related to workplace requests and skill development. For example, instead of 'very important', use 'highly beneficial' or 'instrumental'. You also have some minor issues with phrasing, such as 'writing to you an email for reducing', which should be 'writing to request a reduction in my working hours'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies. For instance, 'I am writing to you an email for reducing' is awkward; 'I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours' would be more natural. You also have some punctuation errors, such as the spacing around hyphens in 'part -time'. There are occasional errors in verb tense and preposition usage, but these do not impede communication. To improve, focus on refining complex sentence structures and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement.

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

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