Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Dear Mr. Matt,

I am writing to request a temporary reduction in my working hour so I can pursue my part-time professional course in software quality assurance. I believe that this course will help me to develop skills both for my career and for our company.

This program will begin next month and will run for six months. Most of its classes are scheduled in afternoon which could be difficult for me to attend while working full-time. Therefore, I would be grateful If i could reduce my working hour from 40 hours to 30 hours per week. I would like to work from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday, which could allow me to attend classes in afternoon without affecting my punctuality or productivity.

I am confident that this course will also benefit to our company. This course focus on advance software techniques, artificial intelligence, test automation and quality assurance tools which are related to my current role. After completing this course i will be able to apply these newly acquired skills to improve testing efficiency, identify defects more effectively and contibu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt effectively. You clearly explain the reason for the request (a professional course), specify the desired hours (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and outline the benefits to the employer (improved testing efficiency and technical skills). The tone is appropriate for a formal business letter. However, the letter ends abruptly mid-sentence ('contibu'), which is a significant issue. While the content is relevant, this incomplete conclusion prevents the response from being fully developed and polished, which is necessary for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with each focusing on a specific requirement of the task. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, moving from the request to the logistics and finally the benefits. You use some cohesive devices like 'Therefore' and 'I am confident that' to link ideas. However, the abrupt ending disrupts the overall flow and coherence of the final paragraph. To improve, ensure you have a proper closing statement and sign-off, as this is a standard requirement for formal letter writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using professional terms such as 'software quality assurance', 'productivity', and 'testing efficiency'. There are some minor errors, such as 'benefit to our company' (should be 'benefit our company') and 'advance software techniques' (should be 'advanced'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication or precision required for higher bands. The incomplete sentence at the end also limits the range of vocabulary displayed.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as 'I am writing to request...' and 'I would be grateful if I could...'. There are several grammatical slips, including 'working hour' (should be plural 'hours'), 'in afternoon' (should be 'in the afternoon'), and 'This course focus' (should be 'focuses'). Additionally, there are capitalization errors, such as 'i' instead of 'I'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The incomplete final sentence also represents a major grammatical failure.

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.