Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-29

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, Smith

I am writing to formally request a temporary reduction in my working hours because recently received an offer letter from Bedford University to join a parttime course Human Resource Management course in a fortnight.

I want to adjust my working hour in order to purse my course. I will be available for full time from Monday to Wednesday from 9 am to 5 pm but on Thursday and friday i have to attend my lecture. I will try to attend important meeting via zoom. So it will be easier for company as well because it is not going to stifle organisation's growth.

I am quite sure that this course is going to be rewading for both company and for me as well.It is a great opportunity to enhance my knowledge on statergic management, workforce planing and up-to-date knowledge on employee engagement and so on. which is going to be fruitful for our upcoming project.

Thanks for considring my request. I look forward hearing from you and discuss more possible ways.

Your sincerely,

Karamveer Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response covers all three bullet points of the prompt well. You clearly explain why you want to reduce your working hours due to a part-time Human Resource Management course at Bedford University. You specify which hours you would like to work, stating your availability from Monday to Wednesday and mentioning your university lectures on Thursday and Friday. Furthermore, you describe the benefits to your employer by highlighting that the course will enhance knowledge in strategic management and workforce planning, which will be fruitful for upcoming projects. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a boss, and ideas are well-developed, earning a solid Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a clear logical organization with an appropriate salutation and sign-off, although the opening salutation 'Dear, Smith' contains a punctuation error. Ideas progress reasonably from the request for reduced hours to the proposed schedule and finally the benefits for the employer. Paragraphing is used to separate distinct ideas, such as the schedule and the benefits. Cohesive devices are generally used appropriately, though there are occasional abrupt transitions, such as starting a sentence with 'which is going to be fruitful', which creates a fragment. Overall, the organizational structure is clear and warrants a Band 6.5.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for a professional request, attempting less common lexical items such as 'stifle organisation's growth', 'strategic management', and 'workforce planning'. However, there are several spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'parttime' instead of 'part-time', 'hour' instead of 'hours', 'purse' instead of 'pursue', 'rewading' instead of 'rewarding', and 'considring' instead of 'considering'. These errors do not impede overall communication, but they restrict the lexical score to Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The text contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional and causal clauses ('I am writing to formally request... because recently received an offer letter...'). There are noticeable grammatical errors and omissions, such as missing subject pronouns ('because recently received' instead of 'because I recently received') and incorrect preposition use or punctuation ('Thursday and friday i have'). Punctuation and capitalization errors also occur in the body and sign-off ('Your sincerely'). While these errors occasionally cause mild distraction, communication is not impeded, placing the grammar at a Band 6.0.

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