Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-25

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. John,

I am writing this letter regarding my working hours.

I want to reduce my working hours because I got enrolled in a college to get a certification in embroidery as a technician.

From next week onwards I would not be able to work full time. Since I have my classes in the morning, I would like to work from 2 pm to 7 pm (Monday to Thursday) and 9 am to 5 pm on Friday. Furthermore, I will not be able to work on weekends anymore till my completion of studies.

I decided to get an certification as a technician of embroidery machines which will benefit the company most. As most of the time we have issues with the machines and we have to call technician every third day. With this certification I will be able to fix the machines on my own and the company does not need to pay such high fees for fixing the machines.

Waiting for your response.

With regards,

Jaspal Singh

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 (embroidery certification), specify the desired working hours, and articulate the benefit to the employer (reduced maintenance costs). The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a supervisor. To reach a higher band, ensure that the explanation of benefits is slightly more professional in tone; for example, instead of saying 'the company does not need to pay such high fees', you could frame it as 'reducing the company's reliance on external maintenance services'. Overall, the task is fully addressed with a clear purpose and logical development of ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph serving a distinct purpose. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'Since' to link ideas. However, the progression between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition between your request for hours and the explanation of the certification could be better connected. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. To improve, try to vary your cohesive devices beyond simple conjunctions and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'the company') is used consistently to maintain flow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'certification', 'technician', and 'maintenance'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'I got enrolled' (better: 'I have enrolled') and 'most of the time we have issues' (better: 'frequently, we experience technical issues'). The vocabulary is functional and conveys your meaning clearly, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Expanding your use of collocations related to professional requests would enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'I decided to get an certification' (should be 'a certification') and 'till my completion of studies' (should be 'until I complete my studies'). Additionally, the sentence 'As most of the time we have issues with the machines and we have to call technician every third day' is slightly clunky and missing an article before 'technician'. Increasing your control over articles and prepositions will help improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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