Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-02

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 hope you are doing well. I am writing to request in order to reduce my working hours. Because I have decided to study part time.

I want to reduce my working hours because I need to do spend time on Master Of Physiotherapy. As I have discussed with you when I took an admission in University. Now my exams will be held from 2 months. As a result, I have to do preparation.

I would like to work for four to five hours in the morning. At night, I would like to spend time on studies. Because it is important and that time my concentration is strong.

I believe my studies will not negatively impact on our clinic. Because in my working hours, i will treat my patients, whatever their exercises i will prescribe them. I think my studies will give benefit because i will have completed my masters in sports. In this way, i will share my knowledge with other workers also.

I hope you will understand me. Thank you for your consideration and time.

Yours faithfully,

Rajandeep Kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully covers all parts of the prompt, fulfilling the requirements for a general correspondence task. The candidate explains the reason for reducing hours, specifies the desired morning schedule, and describes the professional benefits to the employer. For instance, the letter clearly states the need to prepare for Master of Physiotherapy exams and outlines how the advanced knowledge in sports will be shared with colleagues. However, some aspects show typical characteristics of a slightly lower band development, as certain points are a bit brief and lack deeper elaboration, such as the exact details of the clinical handover. All three bullet points from the prompt are addressed, demonstrating a clear overall purpose and appropriate tone, which places the task achievement solidly in the mid-range.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter exhibits a coherent overall arrangement with a clear, logical structure. Paragraphing is utilised effectively to separate the introduction, the specific reasons, the requested schedule, and the workplace benefits. Cohesive devices are present, such as 'As a result' and 'In this way', though some referencing and transitions can occasionally feel mechanical or slightly repetitive, as seen with the frequent use of 'Because' at the start of sentences. The progression of ideas flows reasonably well from one paragraph to the next, guiding the reader smoothly through the request. To achieve a higher band, the writer would need to employ a wider and more flexible variety of cohesive ties while ensuring seamless transitions between sentences.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating the message with a satisfactory range of functional terms related to work and study, such as 'working hours', 'concentration', and 'physiotherapy'. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, including 'negatively impact' and 'consideration', but there are noticeable slips in word choice, form, and collocation. Examples include 'took an admission' instead of 'enrolled' or 'applied', and saying 'from 2 months' rather than 'in 2 months' or 'two months away'. These errors do not impede communication, but they reflect typical vocabulary limitations at this level. Enhancing precision and natural phrasing would elevate the lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an attempt to handle varied grammatical structures like subordinate clauses introduced by 'because' and 'when'. However, there are some persistent errors in grammar and punctuation throughout the text. Examples include sentence fragments and awkward structures like 'I am writing to request in order to reduce', incorrect preposition use in 'impact on our clinic', and minor capitalization slips such as 'i' instead of 'I'. While these errors rarely impede communication and the meaning remains clear, they prevent the grammar from reaching a higher standard. More consistent control over complex sentence patterns and punctuation is needed to progress.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.