Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Dear Manager,

I am writing to request in a 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 a few pre-requisites for which I have to attend a few courses at 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 the 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 do not affect the busy tax season, I am planning to take a break in the month of February.

When once I complete my tax classes, I can help the accountants in filing the basic tax returns from the next year. I sincerely hope you will consider my request. I would greatly appreciate your support and I would be happy to discuss this matter at your convenience.

Yours faithfully,

Pranusha Polu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter fully addresses all three bullet points in 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 letter to a manager. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, showing a clear purpose throughout. You have successfully covered all parts of the task, and the information is presented in a logical and professional manner, which meets the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is well-organized with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the request, the schedule, and the benefits. You use cohesive devices such as 'in addition to that', 'so', and 'when once' to link ideas, although 'when once' is slightly awkward. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the reason for the request to the specific logistics and finally the future benefits. The flow is smooth, and the letter is easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly and professionally. Phrases like 'pre-requisites', 'client filing deadline', and 'at your convenience' are appropriate for a business context. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'When once I complete', which is slightly unnatural. However, the vocabulary is generally precise and fits the formal tone required for this task. You avoid repetition and use a variety of terms related to your professional and academic situation effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some minor grammatical errors, such as 'request in a reduction' (should be 'request a reduction') and the punctuation error with the semicolon after 'college'. Despite these, the majority of your sentences are error-free, and the meaning is never obscured. You show good control over complex structures, such as conditional clauses and relative clauses. The errors are non-systematic and do not impede communication, which is consistent with a strong performance in this criterion.

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

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