Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Sir,

I hope this letter will find you in the best of your health.I am writing my concern regarding the minimisation of my working hours in your company due to my part-time study.

Firstly, I would like to inform that I got admission in prestigious college, for my further studies. Furthermore, it is very difficult for me to engage with both things side by side. I have no time for study and my exam is on the way.I will study hard for passing those exams. It will be very helpful if you reduce my working hours so, that I can manage my study with my job.

Secondly, I want to do my job after my classes. Therefore, it’s my request to reschedule my time from day to night. This night shift will improve my capacity to do my essential work for your company.

In the end, I would like to explain the benefits of my studies at my job. This study will improve my marketing and language skills that will be more beneficial for your company because, this course is all about the digital-marketing, AI tools, financing and product hunting. So, this will empower and refine my overall management skills.

Yours faithfully,

XYZ.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the need for reduced hours, specifying the desired shift, and outlining the benefits to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a boss. However, the development of ideas is somewhat basic. For instance, while you mention the benefits of your studies, the explanation could be more professional and persuasive to ensure your employer sees the value. The letter is well-structured and covers all requirements, but could benefit from more sophisticated reasoning to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical progression, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', 'Secondly', and 'In the end' to link your ideas. While these are effective, the flow is occasionally slightly mechanical. The paragraphing is clear, and the overall structure is easy to follow. To improve, you could use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the transition between your personal need for study and the professional benefit to the company is more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'prestigious college' and 'refine my overall management skills' are used appropriately. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'minimisation of my working hours' (a more natural choice would be 'reduction') and 'engage with both things' (which is vague). The vocabulary is generally functional and fits the context of a formal request, but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'I hope this letter will find you in the best of your health' (the standard phrase is 'in good health'), 'I got admission in' (should be 'I have been admitted to'), and 'my exam is on the way' (should be 'my exams are approaching'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, though there are some spacing issues after commas and periods. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.