Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-17

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 Mr.Thomas,

I am writing to request a change to my availability for work. I would like to reduce my working hours in order to start my study.

For the past year, I have been working in this community to manage my expense. Now I have some savings that I can use in case of an emergency and want to resume my study to complete my remaining qualification.

Considering my schedual for online classes, I would like to request you to provide me a morning shifts. So that I can focus significantly in evening while I attend a class.

The main motive behind this change is that once I get a certification, I will be able to get my field job that I have been waiting since 2 years. That qualifications would help me to get more financial security. As I will be considered as a registered employer in this country. Also afterwards I can buy my own house in order to fill secured.

I would like to request once again to look after on this. Your considerate support would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Nia Jain

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate has successfully covered all parts of the prompt in their letter to the boss. They clearly explained why they want to reduce their working hours (to start their study and complete remaining qualifications), stated which hours they would like to work (morning shifts), and described how the part-time studies would benefit the employer (leading to a specialized qualification and financial security, making them a registered employee). The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to an employer. The ideas are relevant and adequately extended, earning a solid Band 7 for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter has a clear logical organization with an appropriate greeting and sign-off. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the introduction, reasons, shift preferences, benefits, and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'For the past year', 'Now', 'Considering my schedual', and 'Also afterwards' are employed to guide the reader through the text, although some transitions are a bit mechanical. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow, fitting the Band 6.5 to 7 profile; it is comfortably awarded a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, such as 'availability', 'resume my study', 'certification', and 'financial security'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies throughout the response, such as writing 'start my study' instead of 'studies', 'manage my expense' instead of 'expenses', and 'fill secured' instead of 'feel secure'. There are also spelling errors like 'schedual'. These errors do not impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as 'I am writing to request a change to my availability for work' and 'The main motive behind this change is that once I get a certification, I will be able to get my field job...'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasing instances, including 'provide me a morning shifts', 'focus significantly in evening', 'waiting since 2 years', and 'look after on this'. While these errors occasionally cause the reader to pause, they do not obscure the overall meaning, justifying a Band 6.0.

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

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