Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-28

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 Mr. Brown,

I am writing to request a reduction in hours in case I can manage time for part- time study, as I have decided to take a six-month course on web design to improve my qualifications.

As I have been working from 8 am to 5 pm since I got hired at your company, I would now like to work for 8 hours only so that I can have some time later in the evening for my course. Moreover, maybe I have a practical session every Friday, for which I have to be available for six hours, for this I would be pleased if you give me permission to work half day only.

This informed decision is not only beneficial for me to qualify for an advanced certificate, but it can be advantageous for our enterprise, as our company works based on marketing, which requires employees who have sufficient skills to create websites so that your business can implement its own profile on the internet to run everything smoothly.

I hope you will be happy with this decision and will give me access to study part-time while doing my job. I am looking forward to hearing a positive response from you.

Yours faithfully,

Bhagwant Kaur.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three requested points: you explain that you want to take a six-month web-design course, propose a shorter working day and a Friday half-day, and describe how web-design skills could help the company build its online profile. The purpose is clear and the tone is generally appropriate for writing to a manager. The benefit to the employer is relevant, but it is expressed broadly and would be stronger with a specific example of how you could apply the skills in your role. The proposed schedule also needs clarification: “work for 8 hours only” does not specify start and finish times, and the Friday arrangement is not fully clear. More precise details and fuller development of these points would make the request more convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall structure: the opening states the request, the middle paragraphs explain the schedule and its potential benefit, and the closing asks for a response. Linking expressions such as “Moreover” and “as” help connect ideas, and the reader can follow the main message. However, some connections feel mechanical or make the reasoning harder to follow. For example, the long sentence beginning “Moreover, maybe I have a practical session every Friday” combines uncertainty, the course schedule and the requested work arrangement without clearly showing how they fit together. Separate the Friday request into a direct sentence and use clearer references to the proposed hours. This would make the progression smoother and the relationships between ideas more precise.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the purpose, including “reduction in hours,” “qualifications,” “practical session” and “advanced certificate.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the web-design terminology is relevant. There are, however, some imprecise or unnatural expressions that limit the accuracy and flexibility of the vocabulary. “Manage time for part-time study” is less natural than “make time for part-time study,” while “give me access to study part-time” does not clearly express permission to adjust your schedule. “Run everything smoothly” is also vague in this context. Aim for precise workplace language and natural collocations, especially when describing the request and the benefit to the company.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a reason clause with “as” and a purpose clause with “so that.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors and awkward constructions reduce accuracy. In “I would now like to work for 8 hours only so that I can have some time later in the evening,” the relationship between the proposed hours and study time is not expressed clearly. The sentence about Friday also has an unclear structure, particularly “for this I would be pleased if you give me permission.” Use a more direct conditional form, such as “I would appreciate it if you could allow me to work a half-day on Fridays.” Check sentence boundaries and punctuation in longer sentences to improve control.

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

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