Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-25

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/Madam

I am writting this letter to request you for cutting my hours as i want to do additional course of Ms Excel. I am working in marketing department from last 3 years in your company and i have never disaapointed you from my work. To enhance my skills i would like to do an additional study. Time duration for my course is only 3 months and my classes will be on Thursday, Friday and Satuarday every week. My working days are Monday to Friday. And there is a clash between my work and my study on 2 days due to which i want you to schedule me only Monday to Wednesday. Moreover, You know that brushing my skills in Excel will only benifit my work and will be profitable for our company. The course is starting after 2 weeks. I would love that you consider my request and cooperate accordingly.

Thank you

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three requested points: you explain that you want to take an Excel course, specify that you would prefer to work Monday to Wednesday, and state that the new skills could benefit the company. The request is clear and relevant, and the course’s three-month duration and start date add useful context. This meets the task well, while some details are less fully developed: for example, explain more precisely how Excel skills would improve your marketing work, perhaps through reporting or data analysis. The proposed schedule also needs clarification because you say classes are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but describe a clash on only two days. A more complete explanation would make the request more persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The information follows a generally sensible order: you introduce the request, explain the course and scheduling conflict, then describe the benefit to the company and close politely. Linking phrases such as “To enhance my skills” and “Moreover” help show relationships between ideas. However, the response is presented as one continuous paragraph, so the purpose, schedule and employer benefit are not clearly separated. Some connections are also abrupt: “My working days are Monday to Friday. And there is a clash…” would flow better as one connected sentence. Use two or three short paragraphs and clearer transitions to create more consistent progression and make the letter easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the situation, including “additional course,” “enhance my skills,” “clash” and “profitable for our company.” These choices communicate the main ideas, but the range is somewhat limited and several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “request you for cutting my hours” and “do an additional study.” Spelling errors, including “writting,” “disaapointed,” “Satuarday” and “benifit,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for natural workplace collocations and check spelling carefully. For example, “request a reduction in my working hours” and “undertake a course” would express your meaning more precisely and professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and more developed sentences, including the reason clause in “due to which I want you to schedule me only Monday to Wednesday.” The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors occur in sentence construction, articles, prepositions and punctuation. For instance, “I am working in marketing department from last 3 years” needs a more suitable tense and article, while “as i want to do” requires correct capitalisation and a more natural clause structure. The sentence beginning “My working days are Monday to Friday. And…” is also awkwardly divided. Review present perfect forms for duration, article use, and sentence boundaries; greater control of these patterns would make the letter more fluent.

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

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