Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · 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 8.0)

Dear Mr. Brown,

I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours because I would like to begin studying part time. I believe that continuing my education will help me develop new skills and improve my career opportunities.

Ideally, I would like to work from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. This schedule would allow me to attend my classes in the evening while still working enough hours to complete my responsibilities at work.

I believe my studies could also benefit the company. The course will help me improve my communication, organisational and problem-solving skills. I would be able to use these skills in my current position and potentially take on additional responsibilities in the future.

I would be grateful if you could consider my request. I am happy to discuss the proposed working hours and make any necessary arrangements to ensure that my work is not affected.

Yours sincerely,

Yashika

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (part-time study), specify the desired working hours (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.), and articulate how the employer will benefit from your improved skills. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. The purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, and the ideas are well-developed and relevant to the context of a workplace request.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the request, which makes the letter easy to follow. You use appropriate cohesive devices such as 'Ideally', 'This schedule', and 'I believe my studies could also benefit', which help to link your sentences and paragraphs smoothly. The structure is clear, and the use of paragraphing is effective in separating the different requirements of the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal business context. Phrases like 'reduction in my working hours', 'career opportunities', and 'make any necessary arrangements' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it is generally standard. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or slightly more precise academic/professional terminology to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is highly accurate throughout the letter. You use a variety of sentence structures, including complex sentences such as 'I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours because I would like to begin studying part time.' Punctuation is used correctly, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The control over verb tenses and modal verbs (e.g., 'would like', 'could also benefit') is excellent and appropriate for making a polite request.

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

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