Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-01

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 Boss,

I hope you are doing well. I am writing this letter as a request to reschedule my working hours as I recently started studying part time, I am unable to focus on my studies, eventually I am tired at the workplace as well.

By the flexibility in working hours, I would be able to be active both in office and my studies as well as I would be able to rest in between both which will reduce stress and make my mind active.

I'd prefer to work from 9a.m. till 12 p.m. as my university timings are from 3p.m. to 6.p.m, this way there will be a proper break in between both, and I could be able to do my duty here diligently and this will eventually boost my studies.

Furthermore, I would like to mention that my studies co-relate with the work I am doing. After 2 years of IT program, I would be more experienced in the field and this will benefit our company in a way that I would be able to promote our company in the same university as an IT director, this will be a great source of advertisement because many students and staff of the university will get to know our company.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Kind regards,

Aalama

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The letter addresses all three requested points and maintains a clear, polite request. You explain that your current schedule leaves you tired and unable to focus, specify the proposed 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. hours, and connect your IT studies to potential benefits for the company. The explanation of how you would promote the company at the university gives the final point relevant support. Some details could be more fully developed: for example, clarify how the proposed three-hour workday would meet your responsibilities, and make the link between your studies and improved performance more concrete. The request is understandable throughout, though a more direct statement asking your boss to approve the change would make the purpose even clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The ideas follow a logical sequence: you introduce the request, explain the need for flexibility, give your preferred hours, and then describe a possible benefit to the company. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore” and “this way” guide the reader through the explanation. Some connections are less smooth because several ideas are packed into long sentences, particularly the opening and the paragraph about your schedule. The repeated use of “as well” and “this will” also makes cohesion somewhat predictable. Separating the reasons for the change from the proposed schedule, and using clearer references between ideas, would make the progression more effortless.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for a workplace request, including “flexibility,” “diligently,” “co-relate,” and “consideration.” These choices help communicate your reasons and the potential value of your studies. However, some phrases are imprecise or unnatural in this context, such as “reschedule my working hours” when requesting a reduction, “active both in office and my studies,” and “a great source of advertisement.” “Promote our company … as an IT director” is also unclear about what role you would actually have at the university. These choices do not prevent understanding, but more accurate collocations and professional phrasing would improve precision and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The letter attempts both simple and complex sentence forms, including explanations with “as” and “which,” and the main message remains understandable. However, some sentences contain grammatical errors or awkward constructions. In the opening, two independent clauses are joined with a comma: “I recently started studying part time, I am unable to focus.” The phrase “I could be able to do my duty” combines forms unnecessarily, while “my university timings are from 3p.m. to 6.p.m” has an incorrect structure for stating a schedule. Punctuation and spacing around times are also inconsistent. Use shorter sentences where needed, check clause boundaries, and practise accurate modal constructions to improve control.

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

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