Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-14

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 Sir

I am writing to complaint about the issues rise by the visitors about the reception area of our company. These concerns cannot be ignored; the reputation of the hotel will be slow down in the market doing so.

The complaints are as follows:

Maintenance is not good in terms of cleanliness

no sitting arrangements

small area

Nice welcoming service not available

Business organizations should have eye catching reception area, It is important to do work on it. It is the first expression for the clients to judge the overall growth of any company. if fails to obtain well image the company unable to last longer in the market. the term mouth publicity affects a lot to attract opportunities and treats and assist to maintain well planning to achieve desired goals.

This area will be improved by eye-catching environment of the area and ask for refreshments to the clients.

I hope you like my suggestions this will improve goodwill of the company,

I

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed all three bullet points required by the task: describing the complaints, explaining the importance of the reception area, and suggesting improvements. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. The list format used for the complaints is not ideal for a formal letter, and the explanation regarding the importance of the reception area is slightly repetitive and lacks clarity in its phrasing. To improve, ensure that your ideas are fully developed in complete sentences rather than bullet points, and provide more specific, professional suggestions for improvement, such as specific furniture or staff training programs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The letter follows a basic structure, but the flow between ideas is often disjointed. The use of a bulleted list for the complaints disrupts the narrative flow of the letter. Furthermore, the transition between the importance of the reception area and the proposed improvements is abrupt. While you use some cohesive devices, they are often used incorrectly or in a way that makes the text feel mechanical. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression of ideas needs to be more clearly signposted to help the reader follow your argument more easily.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is quite limited and occasionally imprecise. For example, phrases like 'issues rise by the visitors' and 'obtain well image' are non-standard and hinder clarity. You attempt to use some more formal vocabulary, such as 'reputation' and 'goodwill', which is positive, but there is a lack of variety and precision in your word choices. To reach a higher band, focus on learning common collocations and ensuring that your word forms (e.g., 'complaint' vs 'complain') are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede communication. Examples include 'I am writing to complaint' (should be 'complain'), 'reputation... will be slow down' (should be 'will decline'), and 'if fails to obtain well image' (missing subject and incorrect adjective usage). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and your attempts at more complex sentences often contain errors in syntax or punctuation. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of verb tenses will significantly improve the accuracy and readability of your writing.

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

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