Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-16

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. Smith,

I am writing this letter to request a reduction in my working hours because I am considering to study part time. I have looked for some courses online along with in-person classes and I got enrolled in one batch starting from next month.

Moreover, I would like to discuss the schedule that will be suitable for both of us.My class timings will be from 4:00 Pm to 9:00 Pm.If you could reduce my hours because I am finding it difficult to focus on both at the same time.

Furthermore, I am taking a Business management course and it will be beneficial for the company as it will allow me to work more efficiently and effectively. I will gain more skills and knowledge in management. It will help me to be more productive too.

It would be really helpful if you consider my request.

Kind regards,

Suman Malhi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the task prompt. You explained why you want to reduce your working hours (to study part-time), stated your preferred working hours or class timings ('4:00 Pm to 9:00 Pm'), and described how your studies would benefit your employer ('it will allow me to work more efficiently and effectively'). However, some ideas are slightly repetitive, such as mentioning management skills multiple times in the third paragraph. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a boss. Overall, all parts of the task are adequately covered, fulfilling the requirements for Band 6.5 or a solid Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear opening ('Dear Mr. Smith') and closing ('Kind regards'). Paragraphing is utilised, separating the introduction, schedule details, benefits, and sign-off. However, the progression between sentences in the first two paragraphs is slightly disjointed. For example, 'If you could reduce my hours because I am finding it difficult to focus on both at the same time' is a fragmented thought that lacks a complete main clause or clear connection to the preceding schedule information. Cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'Furthermore' are used, but overall cohesion feels somewhat mechanical.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an understanding of workplace and academic contexts with phrases like 'reduction in my working hours', 'part time', and 'Business management course'. There are some awkward collocations, such as 'I got enrolled in one batch' instead of 'enrolled in a course', and minor preposition errors like 'considering to study' instead of 'considering studying'. You attempt less common vocabulary such as 'efficiently and effectively', but overall lexical range remains fairly standard and simple, placing this performance in the Band 6 category.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence forms attempted, such as 'I am writing this letter to request...' and 'If you could reduce my hours because...'. However, there are notable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. For instance, 'considering to study' contains a gerund/infinitive error, and the sentence 'If you could reduce my hours because I am finding it difficult...' is structurally incomplete and repetitive regarding the reason for the reduction. Punctuation errors also appear, such as missing spaces after periods and commas (e.g., 'Morever, I' and '9:00 Pm.If you could'). These errors occasionally cause slight hesitation for the reader.

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

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