Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-22

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 Shifali,

I hope you are doing well. I have a concern regarding my working hours. I want to limit my schedule for getting some time for continuing my part-time studies. By working so many hours, i hardly get a time for the preparation. It would be great if you shorten my hours to 30 instead of 40 in a week to make me feel balanced enough. I can work in the morning shifts till 4’o clock.

I am currently enrolled in French school and taking online classes in my free time. Consequently, it will help me to expand my knowledge and understanding. I can communicate with clients from french background to make them feel satisfied and welcoming. People who are not able to have a conversation in english will also be able to join us and i can help you in expanding your business as well.

Thank you for youe understanding. I would like to hear from you at your earliest convenience.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (part-time studies), specify the desired hours (30 hours per week, morning shifts), and describe the benefit to the employer (communicating with French-speaking clients). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between your studies and the business benefits is more explicitly developed; for example, you could mention how specific skills gained in your course will directly improve your current daily tasks or client interactions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Consequently' and 'In addition' (implied), though the flow could be improved with a wider variety of linking words. The paragraphing is appropriate for a letter format. To improve, ensure that the transition between your request for hours and the benefits to the company is smoother, perhaps by using a more sophisticated introductory phrase to link the two ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'enrolled', 'expand my knowledge', and 'earliest convenience'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and awkward phrasings, such as 'limit my schedule for getting some time' and 'make them feel satisfied and welcoming'. The word 'french' should be capitalized as 'French'. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on more natural collocations would enhance your score.

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 hardly get a time' (should be 'I hardly have time'), '4’o clock' (should be '4 o'clock'), and 'youe' (spelling error). Additionally, the use of the lowercase 'i' is a recurring error that affects the professional presentation of the letter. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing your control over articles and subject-verb agreement will help improve your accuracy.

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

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