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 Mr. Smith,

I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours, as I would like to pursue my part - time course in Business Management Program to develop my skills in business sector.

To begin with, I am currently working 40 hours a week and my shift timing are from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. This evening course will be three days a week, So I will not get enough time to complete my assignments and It will be little difficult for me to concentrate in my studies.

In my suggestion, I will prefer to work three days a week that is from Monday to Wednesday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. I will ensure that my work is complete on time without affecting company's target.

the course covers various skills like problem solving, business marketing and analysis of business structure. This skills are relevant to my current role, this will benefit to work more productive and give better results.

Yours Sincerely,

Anna

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 (pursuing a Business Management course), specify the desired hours (Monday to Wednesday, 9 am to 5 pm), and describe the benefits to the employer (improved problem-solving and marketing skills). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific detail on how your studies will directly translate into value for your current company, rather than just listing general skills. Overall, the response is well-focused and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific requirement of the task, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with' and 'In my suggestion' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'In my suggestion,' which would be better phrased as 'I would like to propose.' Additionally, the connection between sentences in the final paragraph is a bit abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow of the letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'pursue,' 'relevant,' and 'business structure.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, you write 'benefit to work more productive' instead of 'help me work more productively,' and 'shift timing are' instead of 'shift timings are.' There are also minor errors in article usage and pluralization, such as 'This skills' instead of 'These skills.' To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring subject-verb agreement when using plural nouns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. These include punctuation issues (e.g., 'part - time' should be 'part-time'), capitalization errors (e.g., 'the course' at the start of a sentence), and subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'This skills are'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and ensuring consistent punctuation will help you demonstrate better control over your writing.

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

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