Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-24

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 8.5)

Dear Mr Thompson,

I am writing to request a reduction in my working hours from the beginning of next month. I have recently been accepted into a part-time cloud computing course that will help me develop additional technical and professional skills. Since the classes and assignments require approximately fifteen hours each week, continuing with my present full-time schedule would make it difficult to manage both commitments effectively.

I would like to work from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Wednesday and from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday. This schedule would allow me to attend my classes on Thursday afternoon and complete coursework on Friday. I would also ensure that all urgent duties were completed before leaving and would remain available by email when necessary.

I believe these studies would also benefit the company. The course covers cloud platforms, data management and cybersecurity, which are increasingly relevant to our operations. I could apply this knowledge to improve our current systems, help resolve technical problems and share useful information with my colleagues.

I hope you will consider my request, and I would be pleased to discuss the proposed arrangement at your convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Dhruvil Desai

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 9.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the task prompt in a clear and appropriate tone. For the first bullet point, the student explains the desire to reduce hours to pursue a cloud computing course, noting that continuing full-time would make managing commitments difficult. For the second bullet point, the proposed schedule is precisely outlined, specifying working from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Wednesday and until 1:00 p.m. on Thursday. For the third bullet point, the writer effectively describes how the studies will benefit the employer, such as applying cloud platform knowledge to improve current systems and resolve technical problems. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant details throughout the letter, perfectly fulfilling all task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8.0

The letter exhibits clear logical organisation and smooth progression from start to finish. The paragraphs are logically structured around distinct aspects of the prompt: the initial request and reasoning, the proposed schedule, the employer benefits, and the concluding sign-off. Cohesive devices are used naturally and unobtrusively, such as 'Since the classes', 'This schedule would', and 'I believe these studies would'. Referencing and substitution are handled adeptly, ensuring the reader easily follows the development of ideas. Paragraphing is fully appropriate and supports the communicative purpose of a formal workplace request.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a wide, flexible, and natural lexical resource suitable for a professional setting. Vocabulary choices are precise, such as 'professional skills', 'commitments effectively', 'urgent duties', and 'increasingly relevant'. Less common items and collocations, including 'cloud computing course', 'technical problems', and 'proposed arrangement', are handled with a high degree of fluency and accuracy. There are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors, and the tone remains consistently formal and polite throughout the response, fitting the intended audience.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response showcases a wide range of grammatical structures used with a high level of accuracy. The writer successfully employs complex sentence forms with subordinate clauses, such as 'Since the classes and assignments require approximately fifteen hours each week, continuing with my present full-time schedule would make it difficult...' and 'The course covers cloud platforms, data management and cybersecurity, which are increasingly relevant to our operations.' The vast majority of sentences are error-free, demonstrating excellent control of punctuation, tense consistency, and modal verbs. Only rare minor slips might be conceivable, but none are present in this clean, highly competent sample.

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