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 Boss,

I am writing this email to discuss my concern regarding reducing my working hours due to study part time.

Firstly, I would like to explain the reason for reducing my working hours because now i am starting my study for my career so that I can get my desire job. I would request you please give me just part time hours so that i can continue my study without any problems.

Secondly, I would like to share my fix schedule for working. I will be available to work on Monday, Thursday and Sunday at any time.

Lastly, I would like to explain why this can benefits to you. As you know I am good to do any kind of task without any consideration and you do not need to worry.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to your response very soon. I hope you understand my concern.

Best wishes,

Ritu

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter addresses all three bullet points of the prompt: the reason for the request, the proposed schedule, and the benefits to the employer. However, the development of these ideas is quite limited. For instance, the explanation of how the studies benefit the employer is vague, stating only that you are 'good to do any kind of task,' which does not clearly link your new skills to the company's needs. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific details about the course and how the knowledge gained will add value to your current role. The tone is generally appropriate for a formal request, though it lacks some professional polish.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure of your request. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Firstly,' 'Secondly,' and 'Lastly' to signal the progression of your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the connection between ideas within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition from explaining your study goals to requesting part-time hours is a bit abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure relies on a very simple, formulaic approach that limits the sophistication of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and precision. You rely on simple phrases like 'good to do' and 'any kind of task,' which are repetitive and lack professional nuance. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'my desire job' (should be 'desired job') and 'this can benefits to you' (should be 'this can benefit you'). To improve, you should aim to use more precise professional terminology related to workplace negotiations and professional development. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, but it does not demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The letter contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that affect the accuracy of your writing. Examples include 'due to study part time' (should be 'due to studying part-time'), 'now i am starting' (the pronoun 'I' must always be capitalized), and 'my fix schedule' (should be 'my fixed schedule'). Additionally, there are issues with verb forms and prepositions, such as 'why this can benefits to you.' While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency and professional quality of the letter.

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

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