Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Recent IELTS Exams (Canada & India) · 2026-09-27

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You recently helped your company organise an event at a hotel. Write a letter to the hotel manager. In your letter:

– Provide details about the event
– Mention what you particularly liked about the hotel
– Suggest areas for improvement.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir / Madam,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Morgan,

I am writing this letter about the last event which was held in your hotel under your management . There are many good arrangements also but instead of that i seen some areas where i think u need to work on it.

So , it was reception party of my cousin which held last week in ur hotel named Nirvana . It was program of around 200 people and I appreciate your efforts u did to welcome each guest and regard them with good wishes . Almost all the family members love the decoration which spotted on event that was marvelous.

But there is one negative factor which cant be ignore that is related to house keeping departments , like few of our guest face problem that if they were calling this department it takes more time to come , that is the only thing which disappoints me . Otherwise overall experience at the hotel was so good.

Hope so u will work on this issue next time and arrange next functions with more efficient way.

Looking for your response.

Your faithfully,

Gurpal

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response covers all three bullet points required by the prompt. You successfully provided details about the event, such as the reception party for your cousin with around 200 guests held at the Nirvana hotel. You also mentioned what you particularly liked, specifically praising the welcoming staff and the marvelous decoration. Furthermore, you suggested areas for improvement by pointing out the slow response time from the housekeeping department. However, the tone fluctuates slightly, and you mistakenly addressed the letter to 'Morgan' and 'Dear Sir / Madam', which creates a slight inconsistency in standard letter-writing conventions. Despite this minor formality slip, the core task requirements are adequately addressed, earning a solid Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter is generally coherent, with a logical overall arrangement that moves from the purpose of the letter to positive aspects, then to criticisms, and finally to a concluding remark. Paragraphing is used to separate different thoughts, such as the event details, positive feedback, and the complaint regarding housekeeping. However, referencing and cohesive ties are sometimes faulty or informal, such as the abrupt transition 'So , it was reception party...' and the repeated use of conversational abbreviations like 'ur' and 'u'. Paragraph transitions could also be smoother. Because the overall organization is clear despite these mechanical errors, the writing fits comfortably into the Band 6.0 descriptor.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message about the hotel event, decorations, and housekeeping issues. However, there is a heavy reliance on basic and informal vocabulary, alongside text-speak abbreviations ('u', 'ur'). There are also noticeable word choice and collocation errors, such as 'reception party' instead of 'reception', 'decoration which spotted on event' instead of 'decorations seen at the event', and 'more efficient way' instead of 'a more efficient manner'. Because the lexical range is limited and contains frequent errors that occasionally detract from the formal tone expected in a complaint letter, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar and punctuation is inconsistent. There are frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('it was reception party', 'face problem'), tense inconsistencies ('which held last week' instead of 'which was held'), and non-standard syntax ('instead of that i seen some areas where i think u need to work on it'). Punctuation is also problematic, with incorrect spacing around commas and periods. Although these errors do not completely impede communication, their high frequency prevents the writing from reaching Band 6.0, making Band 5.0 a more accurate reflection of your grammatical control.

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

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