Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-02

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 Sir,

I am writing to give my new availability for this job; I would like to request you to limit my working hours by 20/week.

I would like to inform you that this course is not full time. I am being enrolled in an 'Automotive Technician' program in the 'Conestoga College' which is located in Toronto. The duration of this course is 16 weeks, so I will not be able to work regular hours for next few months.

You must be wondering about my new availability; I will make it easy for you. On weekdays, I will be only available for night shifts(7pm-3am); for weekends, I can only work on day shifts(9am-5pm). Also, I will be free to perform my duties on public holidays.

As mentioned, my program is about repairing cars; I can be useful for the company(Lube Technician) as my duties are quite similar which include changing oil filters and tires on car. I will appreciate it if you could approve the change in my schedule.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Harshdeep Singh

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The letter addresses all three requested points: you explain that the 16-week automotive course conflicts with regular hours, specify weekday night shifts and weekend day shifts, and describe how the training could help with your Lube Technician duties. The request is clear and the tone is appropriately formal. The benefit to the employer, however, is only briefly stated: you mention changing oil filters and tires, but could explain more directly how your new skills would improve your work or support the company. The reason for reducing hours is also somewhat unclear because you say the course is not full time without explaining its timetable. More detail on these points would make the response more fully developed while retaining its clear purpose.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The information is arranged in a sensible sequence: the request and reason come first, followed by your proposed availability and then the benefit to the employer. Paragraphing helps the reader distinguish these parts, and phrases such as “As mentioned” connect the training to your workplace contribution. The overall progression is clear, though some linking is slightly mechanical or unnecessary. For example, “You must be wondering about my new availability; I will make it easy for you” delays the schedule rather than introducing it directly. The semicolon before this transition also makes the relationship between the ideas less smooth. A more direct transition, such as “My proposed availability is as follows,” would make the letter more cohesive and professional.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the purpose, including relevant terms such as “availability,” “Automotive Technician,” “night shifts,” and “oil filters.” These choices make the situation and proposed schedule understandable. Some phrasing is less natural or precise, however: “give my new availability,” “limit my working hours by 20/week,” and “I am being enrolled” do not express the intended meaning idiomatically. “Duties are quite similar” is also vague about how the course benefits the employer. Aim for conventional workplace expressions and more precise collocations, such as requesting a reduction in weekly hours and explaining that the course will develop practical vehicle-maintenance skills. This would improve naturalness without requiring more elaborate vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The letter includes a mix of simple and more complex forms, and most sentences communicate the intended meaning. For instance, “The duration of this course is 16 weeks, so I will not be able to work regular hours” uses a clear cause-and-effect structure. Some grammatical and punctuation errors remain. In “limit my working hours by 20/week,” the quantity needs a clearer construction, such as “reduce my hours to 20 per week.” “I am being enrolled” is an awkward passive form; “I am enrolled” is appropriate here. There are also missing articles or plural forms in phrases such as “for next few months” and “on car,” and spacing is needed before the parenthesis in “company(Lube Technician).” Checking these details would make the writing more accurate.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.