Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-11-13

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 5.0)

Dear manager

In your last letter you asked for my insight on the improvement of our campany's reception area. There have been many complains from the visitors that i found out after a survey.Their concerns include,first of all ,the entrance area is very congested and gets crowded especially during the peak hours. Secondly,the room looks dark and dull even during the daytime.Moreover, some customers even complained that the place looks boring.

In lieu of these complaints i have come up with few suggestions.In order to address the problem of congestion, we should remove the partition of hardboard in the reception area to gain more room for the visitors.Furthermore,we should change the color of walls to brighter shades like pearl white or offwhite colors.In addition to that, more potli

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.5

You identify several relevant complaints: the entrance is “very congested,” the room looks “dark and dull,” and some visitors find it boring. You also suggest removing a partition and using brighter wall colours. However, the task is only minimally addressed because the letter does not explain why reception is important, and the proposed improvements are incomplete: “more potli” is cut off, so the final suggestion cannot be understood. The response also contains only 128 words, below the required 150, leaving too little space to develop the points. Add a clear explanation of reception’s role in creating visitors’ first impression and completing the unfinished suggestion, then expand each recommendation with a reason.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The ideas follow a generally understandable order: you introduce the complaints and then move to possible solutions. Connectors such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” “Moreover,” and “Furthermore” help signal this sequence. However, the letter stops abruptly at “more potli,” and the missing explanation of reception’s importance leaves the overall progression incomplete. Some linking is also mechanical, with several transitions placed one after another rather than showing how each suggestion responds to a particular complaint. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs for the complaints, the importance of reception, and the recommendations. Finish with a suitable closing so the letter feels complete and its ideas progress more clearly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of vocabulary for describing the problem and possible changes, including “congested,” “peak hours,” “dull,” and “brighter shades.” These choices make the main complaints understandable. There are, however, noticeable spelling and word-choice problems, such as “campany's,” “complains” where the noun “complaints” is needed, and “potli,” which appears incomplete or unclear. “In lieu of these complaints” is also an awkward choice in this context; a more natural phrase would be “In response to these complaints.” Aim for accurate spelling and natural collocations, and choose precise terms for practical improvements, such as seating, lighting, or plants, rather than leaving a suggestion unfinished.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms. For example, “Their concerns include…” introduces a list, while “In order to address the problem of congestion, we should…” uses a purpose phrase and a recommendation. The main meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in sentence boundaries and punctuation make parts less controlled: “survey.Their” needs a space, and the list introduction “Their concerns include, first of all…” is punctuated awkwardly. Capitalisation is inconsistent, as in “i,” and the opening lacks punctuation after “Dear manager.” Review sentence punctuation, capital letters, and the structure of introductory phrases. A complete final sentence would also allow you to demonstrate more consistent control.

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