Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-01

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. Thompson,

I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours in order for me to study part time. I just gained admission to study optometry at the Imo state university, as you may be aware it is a clinical course and it requires adequate attention in order for me to scale through. In addition, the company is in dire need of an optometrist. I observed that eye doctor you employed have little knowledge on the profession. Consequently, I need your permission in order for me to work 2 days in a week with Saturday included as it would enable me concentrate in my studies and also generate income to sponsor my education.

I believe that acquiring this degree will have a positive impact in the company especially as there will be instrumentation clinicals which majority of eye doctors are yet to know about it.

Thank you, I hope my request is considered and attended promptly.

Yours faithfully

Ajawara Chidimma

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter covers all three bullet points: the reason for the request, the proposed schedule, and the benefits to the employer. However, the tone is occasionally unprofessional and potentially offensive, particularly the comment that the current eye doctors have 'little knowledge on the profession.' This undermines the persuasive nature of the letter. While the ideas are relevant, the development is somewhat limited, and the lack of a formal closing structure (e.g., 'Yours sincerely') is a minor omission in terms of letter-writing conventions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is generally coherent, and the progression of ideas is logical. Paragraphing is used, though the body of the letter is essentially one large paragraph, which makes it feel slightly dense. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'Consequently,' and 'I believe' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The overall structure is clear enough to follow the writer's intent without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, but there are some awkward collocations and word choices. For example, 'scale through' is an informal idiom that is not appropriate for a formal letter to a boss. 'Instrumentation clinicals' is also slightly unclear in this context. While the range is sufficient to convey the message, there is a lack of more sophisticated or precise professional vocabulary that would elevate the tone of the request.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'eye doctor you employed have' (subject-verb agreement), 'enable me concentrate' (missing 'to'), and 'majority of eye doctors are yet to know about it' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure could be more varied and accurate to reach a higher band. The errors do not impede communication, but they are noticeable.

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

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