Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-17

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 7.5)

Dear Mr. Shah,

I hope you're doing well. I am writing this to request a reduction in my total working hours as I am thinking of utilizing the rest of my time to study for my project management certification. Ever since I joined this company as a Project Coordinator, I have always wanted to boost my skills in project management and getting an official certificate will definitely help in improving my overall capabilities.

Therefore, I would like to suggest working Monday to Thursday from 8:00am to 2:00pm and on Friday from 7:00am to 1:00pm. This will be ideal for me to schedule my part-time course in the afternoons. I am more than happy to work some extra hours on some of our busy days as required in order to ensure that work is not compromised because of my studies.

Having obtained this certification will not only help in my career growth, but will also be helpful in applying these skills in my day to day duties. For instance, I will improve my organization skills as well as having better task management will enhance my work and I will be able to better contribute to my team. Moreover, I strongly believe that this certification will improve my overall communication skills.

Hoping for your kind consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Tushti

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 8.0

The letter addresses all three requested points clearly and develops them well. You explain that you want to study for a project management certification, specify a precise Monday-to-Friday schedule, and connect the qualification to stronger organisation, task management, and communication at work. The offer to work extra hours on busy days also reassures your employer that responsibilities will be covered. These relevant details make the request persuasive and show good awareness of the reader. To make the benefits even more fully developed, link one or two skills directly to concrete workplace outcomes, such as meeting project deadlines or coordinating colleagues more effectively. Overall, the purpose and supporting ideas are clear and well sustained.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The letter follows a logical progression: it introduces the request and its reason, proposes a schedule, then explains the employer’s potential benefits before closing politely. Paragraphing supports this structure, and transitions such as “Therefore,” “For instance,” and “Moreover” help guide the reader. The schedule is easy to locate, and the tone remains consistent. Some linking is a little formulaic, however, and the final sentence, “Hoping for your kind consideration,” feels detached from the otherwise complete paragraphs. A more direct closing sentence that restates the request or invites discussion would create a smoother finish. Overall, organisation is clear and cohesive, with room for slightly more natural transitions and paragraph closure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal workplace request, including “reduction,” “certification,” “capabilities,” and “contribute.” These choices communicate the purpose and benefits clearly, and the tone is generally appropriate. Some phrases are less natural or precise, such as “utilizing the rest of my time,” “boost my skills,” and “helpful in applying these skills.” “Day to day duties” is also better expressed as “day-to-day duties.” The repeated use of “help” and “skills” limits flexibility somewhat, while “organization skills” could be more idiomatically phrased as “organisational skills.” More precise workplace collocations would make the vocabulary sound more fluent and professionally controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response uses a useful mix of simple and complex structures, and many sentences are accurate, including the schedule proposal and the sentence beginning “I am more than happy to work…” The conditional-style explanation and examples also show an ability to extend ideas. A few grammatical issues remain. In “I have always wanted to boost my skills … and getting an official certificate,” the verb forms are not parallel; use “and to obtain an official certificate.” In “Having obtained this certification will…,” the opening phrase does not fit the intended meaning; “Obtaining this certification will…” is clearer. The construction “as well as having better task management will enhance my work” is also awkwardly structured. Correcting these few patterns would strengthen an otherwise well-controlled range.

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