Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Mr. Noel,

I am writing to ask if it would be possible to reduce my working hours so that I can begin part-time studies this coming semester.

I have decided to enroll in a Business Management course at the local college, which will help me develop skills that are directly relevant to my role here. Balancing full-time work with these studies would be very difficult, so I would like to propose working reduced hours, ideally from 9AM to 2PM, Monday to Friday, instead of my current full-time schedule.

I believe this arrangement would benefit the company as well as myself. The course covers topics such as project management and financial planning, and I would be able to apple what I learn directly to my daily tasks, improving my efficiency and contributing to the team.

I would be grateful if we could discuss this further at your convenience.

Your sincerely,

Saurabh Dhandha

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (enrolling in a Business Management course), specify the desired hours (9AM to 2PM, Monday to Friday), and articulate the benefits to the employer, such as improved efficiency through project management and financial planning skills. The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a manager, and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. The ideas are well-developed and directly relevant to the task requirements, demonstrating a strong grasp of the communicative goal.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the request to the justification and finally to the proposed next steps. Cohesive devices such as 'so', 'which', and 'as well as' are used effectively to link ideas within and between sentences. The structure is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The flow of information is smooth, and the reader can easily follow your argument without any confusion or need for re-reading.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context, such as 'enroll', 'relevant', 'propose', and 'convenience'. The language is natural and precise. There is one minor spelling error ('apple' instead of 'apply'), which is a slip rather than a lack of vocabulary knowledge. The use of collocations like 'full-time schedule' and 'directly relevant' is accurate. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated or varied synonyms for common words, but the current range is sufficient to convey your message clearly and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The letter displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'I am writing to ask if it would be possible...' and '...which will help me develop skills that are directly relevant...'. The grammar is generally accurate, and the punctuation is handled well. There are no major errors that impede communication. The sentence construction is varied, and the tone remains consistently formal throughout. The minor spelling error noted earlier does not impact the grammatical integrity of the text.

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

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