Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-20

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 Sir,

I am writing this letter to request you to reduce my working hours so I can study part time.

I have enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician course which would be beneficial for my career path. In order to concentrate on part time academic course, I want to be a part time employee at your company. I am available from Thursday evening to Sunday, as my tentative course schedule is Monday to Thursday.

The part-time studies I took would create a win-win situation for both of us, as this course I opt is mandatory for acquiring the licensing in the medical field. After completing this, I would be able to manage the work flow of the technicians as well as this course will be a stepping stone for my career ladder.

I would be grateful if you provide me accommodation so that I can complete my studies with applying more focus.

Yours faithfully,

Kevin

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all parts of the bullet points provided in the prompt. You successfully explained why you want to reduce your working hours, stating that you enrolled in a Pharmacy Technician course. You also specified your desired hours by mentioning that you are available from Thursday evening to Sunday. Furthermore, you described how this would benefit your employer, noting that the course is mandatory for licensing and will help you manage workflow and contribute to your career ladder. However, there is a significant misunderstanding in the final paragraph where you ask your boss to 'provide me accommodation', which is completely irrelevant to working hours and part-time studies. This lapse affects the overall development of ideas. Therefore, a band score of 6.0 is appropriate as all parts are addressed, but some elements are slightly misdirected or under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear beginning, body paragraphs addressing the prompt requirements, and an appropriate sign-off. Paragraphing is utilised correctly to separate different ideas, such as your reasons for the request, your availability, and the benefits to the employer. Cohesive devices are used, although some transitions and referencing feel a bit mechanical or basic. For instance, phrases like 'In order to concentrate on part time academic course' and 'The part-time studies I took would create a win-win situation' link the ideas reasonably well, but paragraph transitions could be smoother. Referencing is mostly clear, aside from the abrupt shift regarding accommodation in the penultimate paragraph. Overall, the organisational structure meets the requirements for a band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message effectively. You attempted some less common and topic-specific vocabulary such as 'Pharmacy Technician course', 'career path', and 'workflow'. However, there are some noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, writing 'part time academic course' lacks an article, and 'this course I opt is mandatory' contains a grammatical and lexical awkwardness (should be 'opted for' or 'am opting for'). Additionally, the phrase 'with applying more focus' is unnatural. These errors do not impede communication, but they restrict the lexical score to a 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrated a mix of simple and complex sentence forms throughout the letter, such as conditional and relative clauses ('I am writing this letter to request you to reduce my working hours so I can study part time'). There are several grammatical errors present, such as missing articles ('concentrate on part time academic course', 'acquiring the licensing') and awkward phrasing like 'studies I took' instead of 'studies I am undertaking'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors exist, they rarely impede the reader's understanding. Because there is a reasonable attempt at complex structures alongside recurring minor errors, this performance aligns closely with the band 6.0 descriptors.

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

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