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 am writing this letter to you to explain my concern regarding the reduction in the working hours due to part time study.

Firstly, I would like to mention I have recently join a college for my short-time study due to this I have need 2 or 3 days off from work every week so I can only work on the weekends due to classes in the weekdays.

Secondly, before joining classes I was doing full-time job here but now I have some compulsions from my college as I cannot do more than 24 hours per week according to the rules and regulations of the education policy.

Last but not the least, my ongoing part-time study will help you in the future because it is related to the food and safety which will positively contribute to maintain the restaurant's food and safety.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Lovejeet

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. The explanation regarding the 'food and safety' benefit is a bit vague and could be expanded to show how it specifically helps the restaurant. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal letter to a boss, though the opening is slightly repetitive. All parts of the task are covered, but the depth of the response is basic, which is typical of a mid-range performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. The use of cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Last but not the least' provides a logical framework. However, the transitions are somewhat mechanical and repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved to sound more natural. The overall arrangement is coherent, but the lack of sophisticated linking words keeps this in the mid-range category.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. Phrases like 'short-time study' and 'doing full-time job' are slightly unnatural. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'maintain the restaurant's food and safety', which is a bit awkward. The student uses basic vocabulary throughout, and while the meaning is always clear, there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated lexical items that would demonstrate a higher level of proficiency.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'I have recently join' should be 'I have recently joined', and 'due to this I have need' is grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not prevent the message from being understood, they are frequent enough to impact the overall accuracy of the writing. A wider range of error-free complex structures is needed for a higher band.

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

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