Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Mr Samuel,

I am writing in connection to reduce my office hours for a certain period of time. Since, I am planning to enroll in a short term course which will benefit the organization in every aspect.

Let me explain in more detail, the reason I am requesting for reduction in my working hour is that I have decided on learning a short term Cybersecurity course. This course not only has potential benefits in defense mechanism but also can recover data without any data breach.

This lectures is starting from next Monday on every afternoon till the evening for the next three consecutive months. So, I would like to work in morning hours for five hours.

Cybersecurity course is now a trending subject and will provide lucrative opportunities for our company. It can help us in building a strong firewall and different methods to prevent from cyber crimes taking place. In addition, more and more employees can take part in such course which will bring positive impact on the company.

Kindly, please grant me the permission.

looking forward for your reply.

Sara Jafar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request, specify the desired working hours, and articulate the benefits of your studies to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. However, the development of ideas could be more precise; for instance, while you mention the benefits of cybersecurity, linking these more directly to your specific company's operations would strengthen the argument. Overall, the purpose of the letter is clear and the requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each serving a distinct purpose. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition' and 'So' to connect ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by minor mechanical issues, such as the abrupt transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs. The use of referencing is generally clear, but some sentences feel slightly disjointed. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the progression between sentences is smoother and less mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using topic-specific terms like 'cybersecurity', 'data breach', and 'firewall'. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'in connection to reduce' (should be 'in connection with reducing') and 'recover data without any data breach'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over collocations. Expanding your vocabulary to include more formal business-related phrases would enhance the professional tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'Since, I am planning' (incorrect comma usage), 'requesting for reduction' (should be 'requesting a reduction'), 'This lectures is' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'prevent from cyber crimes' (incorrect preposition). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and refining your control over complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.

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

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