Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Dear Sir,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing this letter to request you to decrease my working hours.

I am currently preparing for my masters in data science. My exams are approaching soon therefore, I need extra hours for preparation. Currently, I am working for eight hours daily. I am managing account details of retired and current staffs. Additionally, I am the incharge of marketing team. I have to visit local sites of current project. It involves a lot of energy. As a result, I am unable to focus on my studies.

It would be a great favour, if you allow me to work for five hours. I will handover few accounts to Mr.Jalal. This will allow me to prepare for my exams. Moreover, it would be beneficial for the company too,. With my advanced learning in data science, we can offer modern technology and up-dated system to our clients.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Samra Javed

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address all three points and maintain a clear, polite request throughout. The reason is supported with relevant details: you are preparing for a master’s in data science, exams are approaching, and your current duties leave you unable to focus. You also specify a reduction from eight to five hours and explain a potential employer benefit through improved technology and systems for clients. The proposal to hand over accounts to a colleague adds practical support. To strengthen the response further, make the requested schedule more precise by stating which five hours or days you would work, as the task asks which hours you would like to work. The benefit to the company is relevant, though it could be developed with a more specific example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The letter is organised in a clear sequence: the opening request is followed by your reasons, the proposed reduction and handover, and a closing. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “Additionally,” “As a result,” and “Moreover” make the progression easy to follow. The relationship between your workload and difficulty studying is also clear. Some connections are a little mechanical, however, and the duties paragraph moves quickly from account management to marketing and site visits. You could improve flow by grouping related responsibilities and linking them explicitly to the time reduction you need. The final paragraph would also be clearer if the requested working schedule and the employer benefit were presented as separate, connected points.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a formal workplace request, including “preparing,” “approaching,” “beneficial,” and “advanced learning.” These choices communicate your purpose and relevant work responsibilities. There are some inaccurate or unnatural expressions, such as “decrease my working hours,” “a great favour,” and “up-dated system,” which reduce precision and naturalness. “Incharge” and “handover” are also not the most appropriate forms in these contexts. Aim for conventional professional collocations and check spelling and word forms. More precise language for your proposed schedule and the practical value of your studies would also help you express the ideas with greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, and several sentences communicate the main ideas clearly, such as “As a result, I am unable to focus on my studies.” The cause-and-effect structure and the conditional idea about what the company could gain show some range. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain: “preparing for my masters” needs an appropriate possessive or degree form, and “I am the incharge of marketing team” has problems with article use and sentence construction. In “It would be a great favour, if you allow me,” the comma is unnecessary and the conditional phrasing could be more controlled. Review articles, punctuation around clauses, and sentence boundaries to make your otherwise clear message more accurate.

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