Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir Maru,

I am writing to formally request a reduction to my current working schedule as I would like to study part time. My propose time is 2:00 pm until 9:00 pm which will lessen 2 hours of the normal schedule.

Firstly, the part time course is related to Finance. This course is expected to run for the whole year and it will consume 5 hours of my time during weekdays. With that being said, I believe I will need to reduce my working hours in order to have proper rest and work-life balance.

Moreover, as the course relates to my current field, this will greatly help to improve my skills and knowledge that are essential to my role and responsibilities, and I intend to share the learnings from this course to my colleagues in the Finance department through coaching sessions. In addition, having the opportunity to study while being employed will greatly contribute to company’s image and as well as my success.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration. I looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Irish Lopez

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explained your motivation for reducing hours, specified the desired schedule, and provided a persuasive argument regarding the benefits to your employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a supervisor. To improve, ensure that your explanation of the hours is more precise; for instance, you mention a reduction of two hours, but the specific shift (2:00 pm to 9:00 pm) is slightly ambiguous regarding the total daily duration. Overall, the content is relevant and well-developed for the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' to guide the reader through your arguments. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. While the flow is generally good, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the information is easy to follow, and the structure supports the purpose of your request effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly, such as 'formally request', 'responsibilities', and 'consideration'. There are some minor word-choice issues, such as 'My propose time' (should be 'proposed') and 'lessen 2 hours' (should be 'reduce by 2 hours'). While you use some topic-specific vocabulary related to finance and professional development, the range is somewhat limited. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. The errors present do not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. However, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'I looking forward to' (should be 'I am looking forward to') and 'contribute to company’s image' (missing an article: 'the company's image'). Additionally, 'My propose time' contains a word-form error. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the letter. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that auxiliary verbs are included in your verb phrases.

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

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