Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-06

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 6.5)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am currently working full time as a transportation logistics coordinator in the Smartway freight systems Inc. I am writing to bring to your attention for the reduction of my shift from 8 hours to 5 hours per day.

Although I have been working your trucking company from the last 3 years, I feel that my mechanical knowledge is quite well. As a result, I am looking forward to enroll for a mechanical course, which not only enhance my personal knowledge, but also I can instruct the drivers to avoid the service calls.

Currently I am working the morning shift from 8am to 3pm which is a suitable time for me. Just reduce my shift to 12pm, which will help to properly focus on my goal, and with such knowledge, I can assist the driver when there is a breakdown. Moreover, I can also negotiate with the mechanics if they charge the company more than the requirement.

I hope you will consider this matter seriously and take the necessary steps to adjust my schedule accordingly.

Yours faithfully

Avvi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have successfully addressed all three bullet points in the prompt. You explained the reason for the request (mechanical studies), specified the desired hours, and clearly articulated the benefits to your employer. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a boss. However, the development of ideas is slightly limited; for instance, the explanation of how your studies benefit the employer could be more detailed to fully persuade the reader. Despite this, the purpose of the letter is clear, and all requirements are met, placing this in the Band 6.0-6.5 range for task achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter follows a logical structure with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'As a result', and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between your current shift and the request to reduce hours is a bit abrupt. Overall, the organisation is clear and easy to follow, meeting the criteria for a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'transportation logistics coordinator' and 'negotiate'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'I feel that my mechanical knowledge is quite well' should be 'quite good' or 'strong'. Additionally, 'looking forward to enroll' should be 'looking forward to enrolling'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and collocations to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as 'working your trucking company' (should be 'working at'), 'which not only enhance' (should be 'enhances'), and 'Just reduce my shift to 12pm' (which is an imperative that sounds slightly demanding rather than a polite request). While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your message. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions.

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

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