Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-22

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 7.0)

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to request for reduction in my working hours. I am currently enrolled in a part-time course in telecommunications at York university. I have been studying and working simultaneously, therefore I have been exhausted and it is significantly impacting my personal and professional life.

I have classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays every week and classes start around 6 pm and ends at 8 pm, thus I need afternoons off untill December for these days. I will work from home if there is any urgent need. Additionally, I have not received fixed time-table for my exams; however, my instructor have informed that it will start most likely around mid-December, hence I would need a week off during the examination week.

My certification in telecommunication will be beneficial to the organization as well, as my knowledge will notably help in our next product launch. Furthermore, I will be able to assist with telecommunications' team as they are facing staff shortages.

I look forward to your positive response soon.

Faithfully,

Najmin Manga

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The letter clearly addresses all three requested points and maintains a polite, consistent purpose. You explain that combining work and study has left you exhausted, specify that you need Wednesday and Thursday afternoons free until December, and describe how your telecommunications qualification could support a product launch and a team facing staff shortages. These relevant details and the practical offer to work from home in urgent situations make the request persuasive. To strengthen the response further, clarify the exact hours you are proposing to work, since “afternoons off” does not fully define your schedule, and explain more specifically how your studies will help with the launch or team’s work. The examination leave request is relevant, though its timing could be stated more precisely.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information is arranged in a clear progression: the opening states the request and its reason, the next paragraph explains the proposed schedule and exam leave, and the final body paragraph gives benefits to the employer. Paragraphing is appropriate, and linking expressions such as “therefore,” “Additionally,” and “Furthermore” help show relationships between ideas. The letter is easy to follow overall. Some connections are slightly mechanical, particularly the repeated use of additive transitions, and the long schedule paragraph combines several separate points. You could improve flow by separating the regular weekly arrangement from the temporary examination leave and using more varied, natural links. A clearer transition from the request to the employer benefits would also make the progression feel more polished.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a workplace request, including “reduction in my working hours,” “significantly impacting,” “certification,” and “product launch.” These choices communicate the main ideas and show some willingness to use more formal or topic-specific language. However, a few word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “request for reduction,” “fixed time-table,” and “assist with telecommunications’ team.” “Positive response soon” is also less natural in this context. These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and naturalness. Aim to learn common workplace collocations and use the possessive form only when ownership is intended; “the telecommunications team” is more appropriate here.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes both straightforward sentences and longer complex structures, for example the sentence linking your study and work commitments with “therefore,” and the explanation of the exam schedule using “however” and “hence.” Meaning remains clear throughout, and the letter’s sentence patterns are not limited to simple statements. Some grammatical errors remain, though. In “classes start around 6 pm and ends at 8 pm,” the verb should agree with the plural subject; “my instructor have informed” also needs singular agreement. The phrase “request for reduction” has an unnecessary preposition, and “until” is misspelled as “untill.” Review subject–verb agreement, verb forms, and sentence punctuation, especially in longer sentences, to improve accuracy.

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

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