Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-26

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 7.5)

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing to inform you that I have to reduce my working hours from next month.

This is because I have joined a management school on part-time basis.

In order to climb the ladder of success, I have decided to upgrade my studies and learn the basics of management.

Therefore, I would request you to reduce my hours from 40 per week to 20 per week, which would provide me adqeuate time to attend the course classes and study for the course.

During this one year course as I will still be working part-time with your company, I can apply the knowledge which I would gain from my course in real life to benefit the company. I can also help the assistant manager in her day-to-day duties. I am sure this course will help me develop strong skills, which will enable me to better perform my responsibilities at work.

I look forward hearing back from you.

Kind regards,

Rashpal kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (management studies), specify the desired hours (20 per week), and provide a logical argument for how the employer will benefit from your new skills. The tone is appropriate for a formal business letter. To improve, you could provide more specific details about the schedule, such as which days you would prefer to work, to make the request more actionable for your manager.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Ideas flow logically from the reason for the request to the specific details and finally the benefits. You use cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'During this one year course', and 'In order to' to link your ideas effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the overall structure is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using phrases like 'climb the ladder of success' and 'day-to-day duties' effectively. There is one minor spelling error ('adqeuate' instead of 'adequate'), but this does not impede communication. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise professional collocations, such as 'professional development' or 'mutually beneficial arrangement', rather than relying on slightly more general phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'as I will still be working... I can apply'. Most sentences are error-free and clear. There is a minor grammatical slip in the final sentence: 'I look forward hearing back from you' should be 'I look forward to hearing back from you'. Despite this, your control over grammar is generally strong, and your meaning is always clear throughout the letter.

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.