Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sky,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I would want to reduce my working hours starting from next week.

I have recently enrolled in Management course in University of Toronto, which requires me to attend the class for three days a week from 12 pm - 8 pm. I started this course, because I have been thinking about learning new skill set in this field to upgrade in my career .

I believe, I will only be able to work morning shifts starting from 5 am to 11 am. I would really appreciate it if you would help me change my availability and accommodate to early morning shifts instead.

Moreover, this course will provide me with a great experience and knowledge about management skills in hospitality, and that I can showcase those skills while working for this company.

I hope you could update my schedule and help me out with it.

Regards,

Mahi Solanki

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 (enrolling in a management course), specify the desired working hours (5 am to 11 am), and articulate the benefits to your employer (applying management skills in hospitality). The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a manager. The ideas are relevant and sufficiently developed to meet the requirements of the task. To reach a higher band, you could provide slightly more detail regarding the specific management skills you hope to gain, which would further strengthen the persuasive element of your letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'I believe' to link your ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that the transition between the course details and the scheduling request is smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter, and the overall structure is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task. Phrases like 'enrolled in', 'accommodate', and 'showcase' are used correctly and fit the formal context. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'Management course in University of Toronto' (missing 'a' or 'the') and 'learning new skill set' (should be 'a new skill set'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision of more advanced lexical usage. Focusing on collocations and articles will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'I would want to' (more naturally 'I would like to'), 'attend the class' (should be 'attend classes'), and 'in University of Toronto' (should be 'at the University of Toronto'). Additionally, there is a minor punctuation error with the comma after 'I believe'. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. To improve, focus on article usage and refining your control over formal verb phrases.

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

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