Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27

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 7.0)

Dear Bill,

I am writing this letter to let you know about the change that I would like to make to my working hours. Currently, I am working 40 hours a week, which is considered full-time, but I would like to cut my hours to 24 hours, changing my status to part-time work.

The sole reason behind changing my work hours is my studies. I just started a program in college as a part-time student. I would like to work on certain days, like Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, as I have in-person classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. However, if there is any day available for me to pick up a shift, I will surely update my TWS ahead of time so that you have enough time to schedule me.

Along with it, the studies that I choose to complete are going to help me improve my job skills as a retail sales supervisor. The program focuses on establishing great sales along with customer satisfaction. Thank you for your time.

Yours faithfully,

Parmeet Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (studies), specify the desired working hours (Thursday to Saturday, 8 am to 4 pm), and articulate how the employer will benefit from your improved skills. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the final point by providing a more specific example of how your new knowledge will directly impact your current retail sales performance, rather than keeping the benefit somewhat general.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a formal closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which aids readability. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Currently', 'However', and 'Along with it' to link ideas. While the progression is clear, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother to improve the flow. Overall, the structure is effective and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'full-time', 'part-time', 'status', and 'supervisor' correctly. The language is natural and fits the context of a workplace request. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To improve, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common vocabulary related to professional development or scheduling to demonstrate a wider range of lexical control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response shows a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is used correctly throughout. There are no major errors that cause confusion. For instance, your use of conditional structures ('if there is any day available...') is well-handled. To achieve a higher score, ensure you vary your sentence beginnings and lengths even more, and aim for a higher frequency of error-free complex sentences to demonstrate greater grammatical flexibility.

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

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