Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-04

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 8.0)

Dear Mr. John,

I am writing this letter to request you to diminish my working hours so that I can pursue my studies on a part time basis.

I have recently enrolled in a part-time Business Management course, which will begin next month. As some of the classes take place during weekday evenings, it would be difficult for me to continue with my current full-time schedule. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate it if my working hours could be reduced.

Ideally, I would like to work from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday, instead of my current schedule of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This arrangement would allow me sufficient time to attend my classes while ensuring that I am still available during the busiest hours at work. I would also be willing to work additional hours occasionally if required.

I believe that my studies will also be beneficial to the company. The course covers areas such as leadership, customer service and business administration, which will help me develop skills that I can apply directly to my current role. In particular, I hope to become more efficient in managing customers and handling workplace responsibilities.

I hope you will consider my request, and I would be happy to discuss the proposed schedule with you at your convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Ramneet Kaur

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 (enrolling in a Business Management course), specify the desired hours (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and provide a logical explanation of how the employer will benefit from your studies. The tone is consistently professional and appropriate for a formal request to a supervisor. The ideas are well-developed and the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, meeting all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The letter is well-organized with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph serves a distinct purpose, moving from the request to the details of the schedule, and finally to the benefits for the company. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Ideally', and 'In particular' are used effectively to link sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow of information is smooth throughout the text, making it very easy for the reader to follow your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for a formal business context. Phrases such as 'pursue my studies', 'sufficient time', and 'apply directly to my current role' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and precise, it could be elevated further to reach a higher band by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items. However, the current usage is natural and error-free, effectively conveying your message without any ambiguity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

The writing is highly accurate with a variety of sentence structures. You successfully use complex sentences, such as 'The course covers areas such as leadership... which will help me develop skills...', without errors. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no noticeable grammatical slips. The control over tense and modal verbs (e.g., 'would be', 'could be') is excellent, reflecting a high level of grammatical competence that ensures clear communication.

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

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