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 with with reducing 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 hours is that I have decided on learning a short term Cybersecurity course. This course not only has potential benefits in defense mechanisms but also can recover data without any data breach.

These lectures are starting from next Monday and will be held every afternoon till the evening for the next three consecutive months. So, I would like to work in the 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 courses which will bring a positive impact on the company.

Kindly, please grant me the permission.

Looking forward to your reply.

Sara Jafar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly explained the reason for the request (a cybersecurity course), specified the desired working hours (mornings for five hours), and highlighted the benefits to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the study and the employer's benefit is more concrete; for example, you could mention specific software or security protocols the company currently uses that the course would help improve.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a distinct aspect of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition' and 'So', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is easy to follow. To improve, try to vary your linking words further and ensure that the reference between sentences is always smooth, as some sentences feel slightly disjointed from the previous ones.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using topic-specific terms like 'cybersecurity', 'defense mechanisms', and 'data breach'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'requesting for reduction' (should be 'requesting a reduction') and 'prevent from cyber-crimes' (should be 'prevent cyber-crimes'). While these do not impede communication, they prevent the vocabulary from being considered 'flexible' or 'precise' at a higher level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I am writing in connection with with' (repetition), 'Since I am planning... which will benefit' (a sentence fragment), and 'Cybersecurity course is now a trending subject' (missing an article). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, and ensure that every sentence contains a main verb.

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

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