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 hope you are doing well. Today I am writing to you about reducing my working hours. As I mentioned earlier, I have started my studies again, so it is hard for me to study and work. I have 5 days of college; some classes are online, and some are in person. I could not make it. Last Friday, I had a test, which I passed by only one point. It is hard for me to do both

I would like to work in the morning, 9 a.m. to 2p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I can work full-time on Saturday and Sunday.

Sorry, I am doing this during our busy time, but I will try my best to come to work as soon as I finish my course. It will benefit you a lot, as I can gain more experience in managing work, and I can also suggest new dishes that could boost our restaurant.

Thank you

Anmol

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task. You explained the need to reduce hours due to study commitments, specified the desired working schedule, and outlined the benefits to your employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, while you mention that your studies will benefit the restaurant by suggesting new dishes, this could be expanded further to explain how your specific course relates to the business. Overall, the response is relevant and covers all requirements effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the prompt. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'As I mentioned earlier' and 'However', which help the flow of information. To improve, you could use a wider range of linking words to connect your sentences more fluidly. For instance, instead of short, simple sentences like 'I could not make it', you could use a transition to explain the consequence of your schedule. Paragraphing is clear, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You use a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Words like 'reducing', 'commitments', and 'experience' are used correctly. There are some instances where the word choice is slightly repetitive or basic, such as 'hard for me' and 'do both'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to professional communication and business operations. Your spelling is generally accurate, and the vocabulary used is adequate to communicate your intentions without any misunderstanding.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'I have 5 days of college' (which should be 'I have classes 5 days a week') and 'I could not make it' (which is slightly ambiguous in this context). Punctuation is generally fine, though there are minor issues with capitalization and spacing (e.g., '2p.m.'). The errors present do not impede communication, but increasing the variety of complex sentence structures would improve your score.

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

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