IELTS Semi-formal Letter: Formal Letter to Manager Requesting Reduced Working Hours

The task

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 employee

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8188 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to formally request a reduction in my current working hours, effective from the first of next month. Having thoroughly enjoyed my tenure at the company, I have recently decided to enroll in a part-time postgraduate diploma in Data Analytics to further refine my professional skillset.

To accommodate my academic commitments, I would like to propose moving to a four-day working week, specifically working from Monday to Thursday. This adjustment would allow me to attend university lectures on Fridays while ensuring I remain fully dedicated to my core responsibilities during the remainder of the week.

I am confident that this study will be highly advantageous for our team. By acquiring advanced data modeling techniques, I will be better equipped to provide deeper insights into our quarterly performance reports and streamline our internal processes. I intend to apply these new methodologies directly to our upcoming client projects, ultimately enhancing the value I bring to the department.

Thank you for considering my request. I am happy to discuss how we can ensure a smooth transition and maintain my current output levels.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Thorne

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all three bullet points with a coherent structure and a professional, persuasive tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to explain the benefits to the employer, instead focusing solely on personal reasons for wanting time off.

→Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
→Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
→State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

tenure
the period of time someone holds a job
accommodate
to provide what is needed for a situation
advantageous
involving or creating favorable circumstances for success
methodologies
a system of methods used in a field
streamline
to make a process simpler and more efficient
transition
the process of changing from one state to another

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

How many words should an IELTS General Training letter be?+

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

What does the examiner look for?+

Keep practising

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