Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

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

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 Kevin,

I am writing to request to reduce my working hours, becuase I want to start a part time study.

I recently went though a seminar regarding online communication education for working professtionals. I decided to take part in this study in order to improve my verbal and written skills. To pay my undivided attention to study, I have to reduce my working hours for two months.

I would appriciate if you wuld allow me morning shift 9AM to 3PM, so I can use this time in evening for learning. The class is just for two hours but I need two more hours for homework and for the practice after the class. I would able to work only for 6 hours a day due to this commitment.

This study focus to develop overall personality of the students.This course will not only help me personally, but also will help our company in many ways. With better speaking and wrriten skills I would able to perform better on my job and ultimatly it would help me to increase my productivity.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours Faithfully,

Jassmeet Singh,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate successfully covers all the bullet points outlined in the prompt. First, the letter clearly explains why the writer wants to reduce working hours, citing the desire to participate in an online communication seminar to enhance verbal and written skills. Second, the preferred schedule is explicitly stated as the morning shift from 9 AM to 3 PM. Finally, the response describes how the studies will benefit the employer, explaining that improved communication skills will lead to better job performance and increased overall productivity. The tone is appropriate for a workplace request, and the ideas are extended sufficiently to satisfy the requirements of a general training task. Therefore, this performance meets the criteria for Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter exhibits a clear logical progression and a generally coherent overall arrangement. Information is appropriately divided into logical paragraphs, with a standard salutation and sign-off used correctly. Cohesive devices such as 'in order to', 'so I can', and 'not only... but also' are employed to link ideas, although there is some minor mechanical referencing at times. Paragraphing is handled well, with each main point occupying its own space, ensuring the reader can easily follow the sequence of the request. The organisational structure is solid and fits the standard letter format well, supporting a Band 7.0 rating.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The candidate demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'undivided attention', 'productivity', and 'commitment'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('becuase', 'professtionals', 'appriciate', 'wuld', 'wrriten', 'ultimatly') and occasional word-choice slips ('participate in this study' instead of 'course', 'focus to develop' instead of 'focuses on developing'). While these errors do not impede communication, they restrict the vocabulary score. The use of functional workplace language is generally sufficient, placing this response firmly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, such as conditional and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'To pay my undivided attention to study, I have to reduce my working hours for two months'). However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward structures throughout, including missing prepositions and articles (e.g., 'request to reduce', 'start a part time study', 'allow me morning shift', 'for practice'), as well as tense and verb form issues ('I would able to work', 'This study focus to develop'). Despite these frequent minor errors in grammar and punctuation, they rarely impede overall communication, leading to a Band 6.0 score.

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

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