Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Dear Thomas,

I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours so I am able to study part time.

I have recently decided to pursue a Master's degree in Marketing to develop my knowledge and acquire appropriate skills. This is because I feel that I have recently outgrown my role as a customer care representative. After several years of experience as a customer service representative, I have developed a basic understanding of marketing. I therefore believe that gaining formal qualifications in this field would allow me to contribute more effectively to the company’s growth.

Personally, I would prefer to work from 9am to 12pm. This is the period when we receive the most enquiries, based on my records. This would give me three hours, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., to attend my classes and study. There is also less work during this period, so I believe this arrangement would have minimal impact on the team.

A Master's degree in Marketing would contribute to both my professional development and the growth of the organisation. at large. Combining my existing communication skills with formal marketing knowledge could create more opportunities, strengthen customer relationships and ultimately increase sales for the company.

Thank you for considering my request. I hope you will be able to approve this arrangement, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Natasha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter effectively addresses all the required points for the task, providing a clear reason for wanting to reduce working hours, specified working hours, and explaining how the part-time studies would benefit the employer. The progression from personal goals to potential organizational benefits is logical and compelling. However, the request could be more assertively framed to enhance the overall impact, ensuring that it emphasizes the mutual benefits more strongly. Overall, the task achievement is very good.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is coherent and logically organized, with clear paragraphing and a progression of ideas that make it easy to follow. Each paragraph has a specific focus, which contributes to the overall cohesion. However, the transition between discussing personal growth and benefits to the company could be improved to enhance the fluidity. Using more linking words for transitions could strengthen the overall coherence. Based on these criteria, coherence and cohesion are strong but with room for improvement.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The lexical resource demonstrates a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal letter, with terms like "request," "enquiries," and "professional development." However, there are instances of less precise word choices, such as "basic understanding" and "outgrown my role," which could be expressed with more sophistication. Introducing more varied expressions and advanced vocabulary would elevate the letter further. In general, the vocabulary reflects a solid command but lacks some depth in terms of complexity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The grammatical range and accuracy of the letter are largely strong, with correct sentence structures and appropriate use of different tenses. However, there are minor grammatical issues, such as the missing capital letter in "at large" at the end of the letter. The overall accuracy does not impede understanding, but enhancing grammatical precision with careful proofreading would be beneficial. Overall, it demonstrates a competent use of grammar typical of a Band 7.

Overall feedback

Overall, your letter effectively conveys your request and incorporates all necessary elements outlined in the task. You articulate your reasons clearly while detailing how your studies would benefit the company. Your structure is logical, allowing for easy comprehension. Moving forward, focus on enhancing vocabulary variety and precision, especially phrases that can raise the formality of your language. Additionally, consider using more cohesive devices to improve flow between ideas. Proofreading for minor grammatical errors will also enhance the overall presentation of your writing.

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

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