Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-30

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 6.0)

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing this letter to express my interest regarding the reduction of my working hours in the company.

My name is Amanda Grace, I have been working in the company for five years now.

Recentely, I applied to study a part time course in AI Technology department in the university. Therefore, I need to reduce my working hours in the establishement to follow up my courses in college.

Moreover, I work from 8.00am to 5.00 pm, I need to change the schedule from the mornings to the nights shifts. So, I can attend my morning lectures easily at the university.

Additionally, this part-time studies can be very benefical to the company, because we need new engineers with AI certificate in the information technology department. Furthermore, me having this diploma can allow me to have a strong background in this field.

Thank you for your attention regarding my matter, I look forward to hearing your prompt response,

Yours sincerely,

Amanda Grace

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed all three bullet points in the prompt: explaining the reason for the request, specifying the desired hours, and describing the benefits to the employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, while you mention the benefit to the company, it could be more persuasive by linking your specific AI studies to current or future projects at your firm. The structure is clear, and the purpose of the letter is immediately apparent to the reader. To improve, ensure that your arguments are fully extended to demonstrate a more professional and convincing tone.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'Furthermore' to link your ideas. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The paragraphing is appropriate, which helps the reader follow your argument easily. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the flow between sentences is smoother, rather than relying on a list-like structure. Referencing is generally clear, though some sentence connections could be more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for this task, using terms like 'reduction', 'establishment', and 'diploma'. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Recentely' (recently) and 'benefical' (beneficial). Additionally, 'AI Technology department in the university' is slightly awkward; 'the AI department at the university' would be more natural. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. Focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling of common professional terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'I have been working in the company for five years now' is correct, but 'me having this diploma can allow me' is grammatically awkward; a better construction would be 'obtaining this diploma would allow me'. There are also punctuation issues, such as comma splices (e.g., 'My name is Amanda Grace, I have been working...'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a better grasp of complex sentence construction.

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

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