Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-26

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 7.5)

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter because of the frequent complaints we have received from our customers about the services we render at our reception desk, and to give my suggestion on how we can improve our services.

Firstly, visitors complain that, the attitude of our staffs at the reception area is usually unprofessional. They complained that most of our receptionists are usually engaged with other distracting activities, such as, discussing irrelevant topics with a co-worker while attending to a costumer and not paying attention to what the visitor is saying. This has made the visitors feel neglected, and in most cases, they end up not getting the exact preference of the costumer. This has affected the stay of the visitors negatively and they end up being disappointed by the services they received.

Meanwhile, the reception area is very relevant because, it is the first impression the company gives to everyone that walks in. Therefore if we give a warm reception to our guests, it shows how much we care about them thereby making them comfortable.

I would suggest we hold an orientation, with attendance made mandatory for every staff, which will explain in details the importance of good reception, the work of a receptionist, and how we should welcome our guests.

Thank you, and I hope you take into consideration my suggestions.

Yours Sincerely,

Oluoma

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the task. You clearly describe the complaints regarding staff attitude, explain the importance of the reception area as the 'first impression', and provide a concrete suggestion for improvement through mandatory orientation. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. The ideas are well-developed and relevant, ensuring the reader understands the situation and your proposed solution. To reach a higher band, ensure that the connection between the complaints and the proposed solution is even more tightly integrated, perhaps by suggesting specific training modules that address the exact behaviors mentioned, such as multitasking or customer engagement techniques.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the prompt, which aids readability. You use cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Meanwhile', and 'Therefore' to guide the reader through your argument. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the use of 'and they end up' appears twice in the second paragraph, which slightly impacts the flow. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the progression between sentences feels more natural rather than relying on a list-like structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your message clearly. Phrases like 'unprofessional', 'distracting activities', and 'first impression' are used effectively. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'services we render' (which is slightly formal/stilted in this context) and 'exact preference of the costumer' (which is unclear). Additionally, there is a recurring spelling error with 'costumer' (someone who makes costumes) instead of 'customer'. While these do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise vocabulary selection and careful proofreading to ensure accuracy in professional correspondence.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'the attitude of our staffs' (staff is an uncountable noun here, so 'staff' is correct) and 'explain in details' (should be 'in detail'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some unnecessary commas, such as after 'Firstly' or 'such as,'. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the grammar does not hinder the reader's understanding. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of plural forms for collective nouns.

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