Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-31

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 writing this to inform you that I want to enhance my professional career with further studies in my work field by doing masters degree so I need to manage my hours for study and work accordingly.

As of now I am working 10 hours a day from Monday to Friday which is major part of whole day, I need 3 hours a day to work on studies as well so I request you to reduce my shifts from 10 hours to 7 or 8 hours a day.

Currently, I am working 8 to 6 whereas if you grant me permission to do 8 to 4 then I can handle my study and work efficiently from Monday to Friday.

With more enhanced skills and knowledge of I can do work task in much better and appropriate manner also it would help me to explore more opportunities in my current field.

I am looking forward to your response. Feel free to reach out to me if need more clarity from my side.

Yours Faithfully,

Kevin Patel

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address all three points: you explain that you want to pursue a master’s degree, request shorter hours, and mention that further study could improve your work. The proposed schedule, “8 to 4,” is clear, and the reason for studying is relevant. However, the benefit to the employer is less fully developed: “do work task in much better and appropriate manner” is general, and the reference to exploring opportunities in your field does not explain how the employer would gain. The requested reduction is also expressed as “7 or 8 hours,” before you specify a particular schedule. State one clear arrangement and give a concrete example of how your new knowledge would help the organisation to make the request more persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The letter has a clear overall sequence: you introduce your request, explain your current hours, propose a new schedule, and describe a possible benefit before closing politely. Paragraphing helps the reader follow these stages. Some connections are less smooth or precise, however. For example, “As of now” introduces your current schedule, but the sentence then combines the long workday and study requirement in a crowded structure. The transition from the proposed hours to the employer benefit is also abrupt. Use clearer links to show cause and result, and keep each paragraph focused on one point. The closing is appropriate, though “if need more clarity” leaves the subject of the request slightly vague.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a workplace request, including “professional career,” “further studies,” “manage my hours,” and “enhanced skills and knowledge.” These choices make your purpose understandable, and the tone is generally polite. Some attempted formal expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “in my work field,” “major part of whole day,” and “work task in much better and appropriate manner.” “Explore more opportunities” is also vague in this context. Aim for more natural collocations and precise wording, particularly when explaining the benefit to your employer. For example, describe how your studies will help you apply new knowledge or improve your performance, rather than relying on broad claims.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the conditional “if you grant me permission … then I can handle my study and work.” The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur and occasionally make sentences awkward. In “doing masters degree,” an article is needed; “I need 3 hours a day to work on studies as well so I request” needs clearer punctuation or a linking structure; and “if need more clarity” is missing a subject. The phrase “With more enhanced skills and knowledge of I can do work task” also has a faulty sentence structure. Check articles, subjects, and sentence boundaries, and revise long sentences into clearer units while retaining some complex structures.

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

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