Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-27

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 John,

I hope you are doing well.

I'm writing this letter to inform you that ,I would like to request to reduce my 40 hours to 25 hours in a week.

I'm about to enroll in the winter course for Data Analysts at one of the top universities in the world, which requires a lot of effort in the assignments and regular classes at the university.

I recently got the schedule, which states that I have classes from Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, I can only work 25 hours a week because of government policies on international students. So, I am okay with working on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday till closing and helping the team.

This course will definitely help me to contribute more to the team because I will learn about the structure and analysis of data in a more meaningful way. Moreover, I would be able to deal with multinational clients.

I hope you understand my situation.

Thanks

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three required points and maintains a clear, appropriate request. You explain that you want to study Data Analytics, specify your proposed availability on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and describe benefits such as stronger data-analysis skills and better support for multinational clients. These ideas are relevant and generally extended, which makes the purpose clear. To make the response more fully developed, clarify the exact hours you are proposing on those days and connect the course more directly to your current responsibilities or the employer’s needs. The reference to government policies also helps explain the 25-hour limit, but could be phrased more clearly so your boss understands whether this is a legal restriction or a personal scheduling constraint.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The information follows a clear progression: you introduce the request, explain the course and its schedule, propose when you can work, and outline the benefits to the team. Paragraphing supports this sequence, and linking expressions such as “However” and “Moreover” help show relationships between ideas. The letter is easy to follow overall. To strengthen cohesion further, separate the explanation of your study schedule from the proposed work arrangement, and make the transition to the employer benefits more explicit. The closing is polite, though a conventional sign-off and your name would make the letter feel more complete. Avoid placing a comma after “that” in the request sentence, as it interrupts the flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the situation, including “enroll,” “assignments,” “contribute,” “structure and analysis of data,” and “multinational clients.” These choices communicate your plans and the potential value to the employer. Some phrasing is less natural or precise, however: “winter course for Data Analysts” could be expressed more idiomatically as a course in data analytics, while “helping the team” is quite general. “Deal with multinational clients” may also sound less positive than the intended meaning. Aim for more precise workplace collocations and avoid broad claims such as “one of the top universities in the world” unless they directly support your request.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response includes a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including the relative clause in “the schedule, which states…” and the reason clause explaining the course requirements. Meaning remains clear, but some grammatical and punctuation errors are present. In “I would like to request to reduce my 40 hours,” the verb pattern is incorrect; use “request a reduction in my hours” or “request that my hours be reduced.” The comma in “that ,I” is misplaced, and “from Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.” would be clearer with punctuation separating the days and times. Also, “I am okay with working” is grammatically possible but informal for a workplace letter. More accurate sentence patterns and careful punctuation would improve control.

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