Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-31

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 Manager,

I am writing to request in reduction of my working hours from next month as I am planning to prepare for the CPA examination.

To qualify for the exam, I have to complete few perquisites for that i have to attend few courses from the college; which I am planning to start from the next month. I can only work part-time during this period because most of the universities are conducting the classes from Monday to Friday in the morning session, In addition to that i have to work on the weekly assignments.

My college timings are from 9AM to 12PM. So, I am planning to come to office from 1PM to 5PM during weekdays and i will be available on weekends if there is any client filing deadline. To ensure my classes not to effect the busy tax season, I am planning to take a break in the month of February.

When once i completed my tax classes, I can help the accountants in filing the basic tax returns from the next year. I hope you will support me in accepting my part-time work. Appreciate your help and support in this matter.

Your's faithfully,

Pranusha Polu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (CPA exam preparation), specify the desired working hours (1 PM to 5 PM), and describe the benefit to the employer (assisting with tax returns). The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a manager. To improve, you could provide more specific detail on how your studies will directly enhance your current role beyond just filing tax returns, which would further strengthen the 'benefit' section of your letter.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used to separate the request, the schedule, and the benefits. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'When once i completed' and 'In addition to that i have to work'. The flow between sentences could be smoother; for instance, the transition between your study schedule and your availability on weekends could be better linked to show your commitment to the company despite the reduced hours.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'prerequisites', 'assignments', and 'filing deadline'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'request in reduction' (should be 'request a reduction') and 'ensure my classes not to effect' (should be 'ensure my classes do not affect'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on correct preposition usage and verb-noun collocations will help improve your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include capitalization issues ('i' instead of 'I'), incorrect verb forms ('When once i completed'), and punctuation errors (e.g., using a semicolon before 'which' in a way that disrupts the flow). The phrase 'Your's faithfully' is also incorrect; it should be 'Yours faithfully'. Increasing your control over basic sentence construction and proofreading for minor slips would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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