Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-24

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)

I am writing to express about reducing my work schedule to accommodate my enrollment in an evening accounting class.

I am requesting a reduction in my hours to ensure that I have ample time for my academic commitments. The university suggested that I dedicate approximately 20 hours a week. This figure is likely increasing during periods of assessment.

Regarding my work hours, I propose that finishing at 5pm instead of 6pm would cause the minimal disruption of the company. Our mornings are particular demanding in the accounting department due to the necessity of preparing the fiscal summaries for the day.

I believe that, undertaking this course will be beneficial for my role. Many of the subjects focus on technological advancement in the field of accountancy which align with the company current integration of automated information system.

I would greatly appreciate your consideration of my request and I am open to further discussion on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Baljeet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained the reason for your request (accounting studies), specified the desired hours (finishing at 5pm), and articulated the benefits to your employer (technological alignment). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific detail regarding how your studies will directly impact your current tasks, rather than just mentioning general technological alignment. Overall, the response is well-structured and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the request. You use paragraphing effectively to separate the introduction, the proposal, the benefits, and the closing. Cohesive devices such as 'Regarding my work hours' and 'I believe that' help guide the reader through your argument. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. While the progression of ideas is clear, the use of linking words is somewhat standard; incorporating a wider variety of cohesive devices would improve the flow and help you achieve a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context, such as 'accommodate', 'academic commitments', and 'fiscal summaries'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'express about' (which should be 'express my interest in' or 'write to request') and 'minimal disruption of the company' (which should be 'to the company'). Additionally, 'company current integration' is missing a possessive 's'. Despite these small errors, your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly and professionally throughout the letter.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are a few grammatical slips, such as 'This figure is likely increasing' (should be 'will likely increase') and 'undertaking this course will be beneficial' (the comma after 'course' is unnecessary). You also missed the possessive form in 'company current integration'. However, these errors do not impede communication, and your control over sentence structure remains consistent. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and possessives in professional writing.

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

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