Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-06

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 6.5)

Dear John,

I am writing to let you know about the suggestions for improvement of our reception area.

There are a few complaints, including the reception area being less spacious, a lack of comfort sets for waiting clients, and the need for more team members to support the customers.

In my opinion, the reception area is very important as it is the first impression for our customers. We have to add value to this space because all the inquiries are solved at this first point.

There are a few options, like adding more fancy lights, more comfortable sofas, interesting paintings, and magazines for waiting customers. There should be more help from team members in the reception area so that if one receptionist is handling phone calls, the other can assist waiting clients.

Thanks for asking for my suggestions to improve our company's service and add value to customer service.

Yours sincerely,

Jismy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points required by the prompt. You clearly identify the complaints, explain the importance of the reception area as a 'first impression', and provide actionable suggestions for improvement. The tone is appropriate for a professional letter to a manager. To reach a higher band, you could expand slightly on the impact of these improvements, for example, by explaining how these changes might specifically increase customer satisfaction or efficiency, rather than just listing the items.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The letter is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific requirement of the task. The progression of ideas is clear, moving from the problem to the rationale and finally to the solutions. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat basic. You rely heavily on simple sentence structures and direct transitions. Incorporating a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in light of these issues') would improve the flow and help the text feel more cohesive and professional.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'inquiries', 'reception area', and 'first impression' correctly. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks sophistication. Phrases like 'comfort sets' and 'fancy lights' are a bit informal or imprecise for a business context. To improve, aim for more precise collocations and a more varied range of descriptive language to convey your ideas with greater professional nuance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The grammar is generally accurate, and your meaning is always clear. You use a mix of simple and compound sentences effectively. There are no major errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher score, you should attempt to incorporate more complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences (e.g., 'If we were to install..., it would likely...') or passive voice constructions to sound more formal and varied. Punctuation is generally correct, though the structure of the opening and closing is standard.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.