Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

There have been several complaints about the reception area where visitors to your company arrive. Your manager has asked you to suggest how the reception area could be improved.

Write a letter to your manager. In your letter

• describe the complaints that have been made
• say why the reception area is important
• suggest how the reception area could be improved

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ................. ,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Dr Jide,

I am writing to provide feedback regarding the mail you sent to suggest solutions for the complaints made by our guests. Two of our regular guests complained that he has not been given any discount since he lodged for the past 3 weeks. Also, several guests complained of few chairs to relax when attending to them by we receptionists.

I believe comfortability is the main role of a receptionist and how we treat them will affect our overall sales, therefore let attend to their complaints urgently. Moreover, many hotels are closing due to poor customer service in Ibadan.

I would appreciate if you deliberate with the senior management team on reviewing our policies for our regular customers and reward them with gifts if possible. We should also try to purchase the new China sofa chair as it can accommodate 5 people at once. They need to be

I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Your sincerely,

Kehinde.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the three requested points: you report complaints about discounts and seating, explain that customer treatment affects sales, and propose reviewing rewards and buying a larger sofa. These are relevant suggestions, but some parts are only partly developed. The importance of the reception area is expressed mainly through customer comfort and sales; explain more directly how it shapes visitors’ first impressions of the company. The complaints are also unclear in places, particularly “he has not been given any discount since he lodged,” which leaves the exact concern uncertain. Finally, “They need to be” is unfinished, so the final suggestion is incomplete. Clarifying the complaints and completing and supporting each recommendation would make the response more fully address the task.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The letter has a recognisable structure: it opens with its purpose, moves from complaints to their importance and then to recommendations, and closes with a sign-off. This gives the reader an overall progression. However, some links between ideas are abrupt or unclear. For example, “therefore let attend to their complaints urgently” does not clearly connect the preceding point about sales to a specific action, and “Moreover, many hotels are closing due to poor customer service in Ibadan” feels detached from the company’s reception. The unfinished “They need to be” also interrupts the final paragraph. Use clearer transitions and keep each paragraph focused on one function; ensure every sentence is complete and that pronouns refer clearly to the people or items mentioned.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “regular guests,” “senior management team,” “reviewing our policies,” and “customer service.” These choices help communicate the subject and show an attempt to use workplace language. However, several word choices or combinations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “comfortability,” “few chairs to relax,” “attending to them by we receptionists,” and “China sofa chair.” These expressions sometimes make the intended meaning less clear. Aim for natural collocations and precise terms—for example, describe a shortage of seating and refer to a comfortable sofa or seating area. Also choose wording that fits a formal letter, and avoid vague phrases such as “provide feedback regarding the mail” when you can state the purpose directly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of sentence forms, including a complex sentence with “since” and a recommendation introduced by “as.” The main message is generally understandable, but errors in agreement, sentence construction, and punctuation sometimes make the reader work to interpret it. In “Two of our regular guests complained that he has not been given,” the pronoun does not agree with the plural subject, and the tense pattern is awkward. “I would appreciate if you deliberate” is missing a grammatical element after “appreciate,” while “therefore let attend” lacks a clear subject and correctly formed verb phrase. The final fragment, “They need to be,” is incomplete. Practise accurate clause construction and check that each sentence has a complete subject and verb.

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