Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-28

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 Mr. Jones,

I am writing to request to reduce my current working hours from 40 hours to 30hours, as I am starting a part-time course this fall.

As you know, I already have a degree in an electronic engineering. However, I wanted to learn more about network security and its protocals. It will aid me to improve my designs for the company network.

I am planning to take classes in the morning 8 AM to 12Pm, from Monday to Friday. The brighter side of this is that course is an online. In addition to this, I work from home so no time wasted in commute. Therefore, I would like to take the closing shift from 12PM to 6PM.

I will gain professional certificate and knoweldge from this program, which I will utilize in my work. I can make our company network more stronger with updated technology. Also, the software part of the course will teach me how to keep the hackers away from the confidential data.

I am hoping that you will help me to complete this course. I look forward hearing from you.

Yours faithfully.

Lisa

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly state the reason for the request (part-time study), specify the desired working hours (12 PM to 6 PM), and explain the benefits to the employer (improved network design and security skills). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To improve, you could expand slightly on the specific nature of the 'network security' course to make the benefit to the employer even more compelling, but overall, the task requirements are fully met.

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. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition to this,' 'Therefore,' and 'Also' to link ideas. However, the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly. For instance, the transition between the morning classes and the request for the closing shift is clear, but the paragraphing could be slightly more balanced to ensure a smoother progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using professional terms like 'electronic engineering,' 'network security,' and 'confidential data.' There are some minor spelling errors, such as 'protocals' (protocols) and 'knoweldge' (knowledge), and a slight misuse of 'more stronger,' which is a double comparative. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, incorporating more precise collocations or sophisticated phrasing would elevate the score. Focus on proofreading to catch small spelling slips that detract from the professional tone.

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 inaccuracies, such as 'I am writing to request to reduce' (should be 'request a reduction in' or 'request to reduce'), 'course is an online' (should be 'the course is online'), and 'look forward hearing' (should be 'look forward to hearing'). Additionally, 'more stronger' is grammatically incorrect. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on mastering prepositional phrases and comparative structures.

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

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