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 Mr. Ryan,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing to request my working hours to be reduced due to the part time studies I am about to start from the beginning of September.

The reason for this is the part-time course I am taking this fall term to study Level 1 of CFA (Certified Financial Planner) to grow further in the field of finance. There are 3 levels to finish this course and get a degree and each level would take about 6 months of in class study and then a written test.

Currently, I am working 7am to 5pm during weekdays. If possible, I would like to work 11am to 5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as I will have early morning classes on these two days. Although, I assure you that I would not let the studies affect my performance at work.

The positive side of this will be that once I finish my course, I would have strong understanding and knowledge about financial planning and this could be beneficial for the firm as well to attract new clients.

Kind regards,

Jay Thakkar

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points in the prompt. You clearly explain the reason for the request (CFA studies), specify the desired working hours (11am to 5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), and articulate the benefits to your employer (enhanced financial planning knowledge). The tone is appropriate for a formal request to a supervisor. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset. You have maintained a consistent and professional position throughout the response, ensuring all requirements of the task are met effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which aids readability. You use cohesive devices such as 'The reason for this is', 'Currently', and 'Although' to connect your ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be slightly smoother to improve the flow. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow, meeting the criteria for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a professional context, such as 'request', 'performance', and 'beneficial'. There is an attempt to use specific terminology related to your field, though 'Certified Financial Planner' is slightly misused as CFA stands for Chartered Financial Analyst. While the vocabulary is sufficient and accurate enough to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the 'less common' or 'sophisticated' lexical items that would push the score into the 8.0+ range. The word choice is natural and fits the formal tone of the letter well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your control over grammar and punctuation is generally strong. There are minor slips, such as 'request my working hours to be reduced' (which is slightly awkward; 'request a reduction in my working hours' would be more natural) and 'have strong understanding' (missing an article: 'a strong understanding'). Despite these minor inaccuracies, your meaning is never obscured, and the grammatical control is consistent throughout the letter.

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

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