Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-28

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 Sir,

I am writing this letter to you regarding the complaints we are receiving about our company's reception area and some suggestions to address these complaints.

The first complaint that often comes to our ears is about the waiting space in the area. Secondly, visitors do complain about a lack of amenities. Furthermore, visitors also gave a negative feedback about the presentation of the area and how it sometimes feel less enthusiastic.

As a matter of fact, a reception area is the first look of a company that either impresses the visitors or let them lose their focus in us. In fact, a reception area shows the companies strength, appearance and the face of the company.

In order to improve our reception area we should add some plants in the corners. Moreover, we should add more couches and some reclining sofas, so that people can relax while waiting and can feel comfortable. Furthermore, we can also add a coffee machine and a vending machine as well.

I hope my suggestions would be useful in reducing or diminishing the complaints we receive.

Thank You

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all three bullet points of the prompt. You clearly identify the complaints regarding space, amenities, and presentation. You also explain the importance of the reception area as the 'face of the company' and provide specific, relevant suggestions for improvement, such as adding plants, comfortable seating, and vending machines. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a manager. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the 'why' section by elaborating on how these improvements specifically impact client perception or employee morale, rather than just stating that it is the 'first look'. Overall, the task is fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each requirement, and a brief conclusion. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'The first complaint', 'Secondly', 'Furthermore', and 'In order to'. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. For instance, the transition between the importance of the reception and the suggestions could be smoother. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different points of the letter. The progression of ideas is clear, and the reader can easily follow your argument from the problem to the proposed solution.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'amenities', 'enthusiastic', and 'diminishing'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'comes to our ears' is an idiom that sounds slightly unnatural in this formal context, and 'let them lose their focus in us' is awkward phrasing. Additionally, 'companies strength' requires an apostrophe ('company's'). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your message clearly, incorporating more precise professional terminology would elevate the response to a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('how it sometimes feel' should be 'feels') and punctuation errors (missing possessive apostrophes). Some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'visitors also gave a negative feedback', where 'gave' is less precise than 'provided' or 'expressed'. Despite these errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the grammar is generally functional. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the use of articles and possessives.

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