Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Mr Patel,

I am writing this letter to apprise you that I have been working as Senior Administrator for the past five years and enrolled with MBA program for my further education. However, I will not be able to perform duties on Thursday and Friday evenings as I will be attending classes for MBA.

Moreover, my availability for working hours will be Monday to Wednesday (full day) and Thursday to Friday, 8 am to 2 pm. As well as the work will not be hampered because of the higher education. Furthermore, the MBA program will enhance my skills, knowledge and also add value in leadership, management, problem solving, and analytical skills which will help the company to achieve the target goals at a faster pace.

I request you to allow me to work till 2 pm on Thursday and Friday, and also continue my studies for my better future. Thank you for the support and guidance.

Your Faithfully,

Monika Kadyan

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (MBA studies), specify the desired working hours, and outline the benefits to your employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. However, the development of the third point regarding the benefits to the employer is somewhat brief. While you mention leadership and analytical skills, expanding slightly on how these would specifically apply to your current role would have strengthened the argument. Overall, the task is fully addressed in a professional manner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure, moving from the purpose of the letter to the specific request and finally the benefits. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'As well as' to link your ideas. However, the transition 'As well as the work will not be hampered' is slightly awkward and does not flow naturally from the previous sentence. Paragraphing is used, but the letter could be improved by separating the request from the explanation more distinctly. The progression of ideas is clear, but the use of cohesive devices could be more varied and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, using professional terms like 'apprise', 'perform duties', and 'analytical skills'. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'enrolled with MBA program' (should be 'enrolled in an MBA program') and 'add value in leadership' (should be 'add value to my leadership'). Despite these minor inaccuracies, your vocabulary is precise enough to convey your meaning clearly and maintains a formal tone throughout the correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as the missing article in 'enrolled with MBA program' and the awkward phrasing in 'As well as the work will not be hampered'. Additionally, the closing 'Your Faithfully' is incorrect; it should be 'Yours faithfully'. While these errors are present, they do not impede communication, and the meaning remains clear. To reach a higher band, focus on consistent article usage and more accurate prepositional phrases.

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.