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
Sample Response
Dear Mr Brook,
I am writing this letter to formally request a reduction in my working hours effective from the beginning of the next month. I am requesting this to accommodate my part-time studies, which will start soon. I believe it will enhance both my professional skills and my ability to contribute to the company.
I have recently enrolled in a part-time Business Management programme, which aligns closely with my role with this company. This course will equip me with advanced skills in strategic planning, leadership, and data analysis, enabling me to perform my job more effectively. However, to manage my academic commitments, I would like to adjust my working schedule to 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday to Thursday, and 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Friday.
I am confident that these studies will allow me to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to my work, ultimately benefiting the company. For the last few months, I have felt the need to better analyse our sales data and I am quite positive that this course will equip me perfectly for this skill.
Please let me know if we can discuss this arrangement further. I truly appreciate your support and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Henry Whitmore
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Remove redundancy Original: writing this letter Suggested revision: writing Why it matters: The word “letter” is unnecessary because the context already makes the format clear.
- 2. Remove unnecessary article Original: the beginning of the next month Suggested revision: the beginning of next month Why it matters: The fixed time expression “next month” normally takes no article.
- 3. Use natural phrasing Original: I am requesting this Suggested revision: I am making this request Why it matters: The revised collocation expresses the purpose of the request more naturally.
- 4. Clarify the pronoun Original: I believe it will enhance Suggested revision: I believe my studies will enhance Why it matters: Naming “my studies” removes the ambiguous reference of “it.”
- 5. Improve the collocation Original: with Suggested revision: at Why it matters: “Role at a company” is the more natural prepositional phrase in this context.
- 6. Fix the time range Original: to Suggested revision: from Why it matters: A time range should use the paired structure “from … to.”
- 7. Use confident wording Original: quite positive Suggested revision: confident Why it matters: “Confident” is a more concise and professional way to express certainty.
- 8. Correct the collocation Original: equip me perfectly for this skill Suggested revision: help me develop this skill Why it matters: A course can help someone develop a skill, but it does not equip someone “for” a skill.
Suggested Rewrites
- writing this letter writing
- the beginning of the next month the beginning of next month
- I am requesting this I am making this request
- I believe it will enhance I believe my studies will enhance
- with at
- to from
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response is strongest in its complete, well-developed request: it clearly explains the course, specifies a workable schedule, and links new skills to concrete benefits for the employer. The main limitation is occasional imprecision or repetition in otherwise flexible language, particularly in the final explanation of data-analysis benefits. The priority is to streamline repeated claims and replace awkward wording about being equipped for a skill with a more natural statement about developing that skill.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The request is clear, appropriately formal, and fully develops the reason, preferred hours, and benefits to the employer with specific detail.
Make the proposed arrangement even more practical by briefly indicating how existing responsibilities would be covered during reduced hours.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas are sequenced logically in well-focused paragraphs, and cohesive devices guide the reader smoothly through the request and justification.
Avoid repeating the course's benefits across consecutive paragraphs by giving each paragraph a more distinct purpose.
Lexical Resource
The letter uses a wide and precise professional vocabulary, with only occasional awkwardness such as equip me perfectly for this skill.
Replace isolated unnatural collocations with idiomatic phrasing, for example develop the data-analysis skills I need.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of sentence forms is used accurately, and the response contains only minor non-impeding lapses in phrasing and reference.
Polish article and preposition choices in phrases about schedules and workplace roles to make the language consistently natural.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
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
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.